Dear Gus: Do you remember our friend Adele Fletcher?
Adele Fletcher did not know Gus M. Bilirakis back in 1935. Her adult life was just beginning. She could not imagine the devastation that Attorney Gus Bilirakis and Professional Guardian Fran Lang would unleash in her life sixty-two years later. As Mr. Bilirakis runs for public office, this site is dedicated to the loving memory of Adele Fletcher by her many friends.
Read about the fraud and conviction
Adele Remembered
11 comments:
And Bilirikis is still sitting as a Congressman? Up for relection?
No way should crooks be allowed to run for office!
I am steaming!
Gus Bilirakis and all of those involved in this ring of deceit and fraud belong in prison for a very long time.
In my opinion, there is an evil pattern here; this is a classic case of fraud and conspiring for profit and much more by the probate club.
Adele Fletcher is an innocent victim; she was an easy mark for the greedy vultures because she was wealthy, elderly and alone. And, I would bet my house and dog that Adele is one of many victims of this ring of guardianship crooks.
Gus Bilirakis is part of the ring of crooks. He must be held responsible for his actions. He cannot remain in public office - he proved his need for greed and he cannot be trusted.
My summation of this tragic case:
These people are evil, SOCIOPATHS with criminal minds. They belong in PRISON now.
BILL MITCHELL'S ASSERTIONS ARE WRECKLESS, BIZARRE AND DEFAMATORY!! Has he read the court file that is public record?? Obviously he hasn't. No wonder he's being sued by his own party for the same sort of scurrilous attack he made against his opponent, John Dicks, in the democratic primary. This isn't about Gus. This is about Bill Mitchell losing in the polls and what kind of ugly behavior he'll stoop to in order to win.
- 1 - Gus Bilirakis is the most genuine, honest, compassionate elected official I've ever met.
Even 2 of the 4 democrats in the primary said Gus was a "nice guy"
"He's a very nice guy," said two of those four Democrats.
(see Times article: 4 Eager To Unseat 'Nice Guy' Bilirakis - http://www2.tbo.com/content/2008/jan/06/me-4-eager-to-unseat-nice-guy-bilirakis/)
- 2 - Gus would not only NOT harm seniors, but he has worked in his public life - as well as private - to protect senior citizens.
- 3 - Adele Fletcher was being exploited by her neighbor CHRIS ZERVAS (the guy who accused Gus). Court minutes show that while Adele Fletcher was incapacitated, Zervas wrote himself checks from her account.
- 4 - An examining committee which included Adele Fletcher's own attorney, Gregory Gay from New Port Richey, physicians, other attorneys and 2 separate, experienced trial judges concluded that Adele Fletcher was incapacitated and needed the services of a guardian.
- 5 - Chris Zervas called for a hearing before the trial judge to have Fletcher adjudicated competent. When the hearing was set, he failed to show up for the hearing because the trial court had evidence that he had helped himself to Adele's bank account.
Lawyers take an oath before they can be licensed; legislators do, too!
Assuming the facts of the bad representation and the bilking to be true, the man should not hold public office or the license of an attorney.
Too many law licenses these days are being used as a "License to steal"!
Well, it seems to me that Bill Mitchell is also exploiting Adele by using her site for his own personal gain.
It is a sad state of affairs when any politician may be using a guardianship abuse victim for political gain.
This issue should not be about who's running for office or who is behind/ahead in the polls.
This is about an elder that others claim was abused. A very serious offense.
Why can't our government stop all of the partisan nonsense, work together, and do something positive like help put an end to guardian abuse and hold accountable the lawyers and judges that are abusing their power?
Bill Mitchell is very brave for exposing this guardianship con-game racket; he is not exploiting Adele Fletcher, on the contrary, he is coming forth with the truth; he is protecting Adele's dignity, freedom of speech and her civil rights,which were stripped from her by this gang of thieves.
Bill Mitchell and the Friends of Adele and their supporters are to be applauded - they are doing this for all the right reasons - JUSTICE - they are giving ADELE A VOICE TO SHOUT OUT LOUD from her grave.
Hey, Gus, remember what you did to me?
Almost all the time, abusive guardians BURY THEIR VICTIMS and THEIR WORDS - not this time!
The truth in this case is UGLY and EVIL, isn't it?
The Friends of Adele Fletcher respond:
As a group, Attorney Gus Bilirakis, Professional Guardian Fran Lang and Attorney Gregory Gay were involved in many court cases concerning elderly "Wards." Gregory Gay was also on a court list as being available to be a court-appointed attorney to represent Wards against Guardians. Like Gus Bilirakis, Gregory Gay was also Fran Lang's attorney in 16 guardianship cases. This time though, as Gus Bilirakis and Fran Lang petitioned the court to gain control of Adele Fletcher's life, Gregory Gay was appointed to represent Adele Fletcher against his regular client, Guardian Fran Lang. Fran Lang effectively prevented Adele Fletcher's neighbors from attending the guardianship hearing.
Gregory Gay saw no conflict of interest as he attended Adele's hearing with Fran Lang and Gus Bilirakis. The Examining Committee produced no psychiatric evidence against Adele Fletcher except for its opinion derived after a short home visit. Gregory Gay did not challenge the Committee's lack of evidence or its opinion. Gus Bilirakis and Fran Lang declared to the court that Adele Fletcher was indigent, but after gaining initial control of her assets on July 2, 1997 Gus Bilirakis collected $1,505.00 from Adele, Fran Lang collected $1,159.00 and Gregory Gay collected $600.00. Gus Bilirakis and Fran Lang also obtained full power to prevent Adele Fletcher from 1) entering into contracts, 2) suing and defending lawsuits, 3) applying for government benefits, 4) managing property or making any gift or disposition of property, and 5) consenting to medical and mental health treatment.
The Examining Committee for Adele Fletcher (Committee Report dated May 27, 1997) consisted of three members, Jose M. Turro, M.D. and two non-M.D.s - Ann Durney and Loretta Mercer. Jose Turro diagnosed 79 year-old Adele Fletcher with "Early Senile Dementia." Jose Turro recommended that Adele possibly follow up with a psychiatrist, and went on to report that Adele was ambulatory with no apparent illness and takes no medication. Without a psychiatric evaluation, Jose Turro directed that Adele also lose her rights to marry, drive, vote, and work. Durney and Mercer wrote in an attached letter; "It is believed that Mrs. Fletcher can be easily victimized in light of her mental impairments." Adele Fletcher was alone except for Gus Bilirakis, Fran Lang, Gregory Gay and Jose Turro.
Chris Zervas and Adele's other neighbors were actively trying to free Adele from Gus Bilirakis and Fran Lang. Guardian Fran Lang filed a formal complaint against Chris Zervas reporting that he was taking Adele's money. Chris Zervas was cleared after a formal criminal investigation of Fran Lang's complaint and, instead, based upon the evidence, Fran Lang was charged with and convicted of felony scheming to defraud.
The documents posted at www.AdeleRemembered.info are available for anyone to view and use.
The entire court record is available at the Pasco County, Florida clerk of courts New Port Richey office under newly assigned file numbers of 97001053MH and 97001054GA.
Most guardianship victims die and that's the end of their case, so life goes on -- guardians and attorney move on to new victims and the dirty little secret is protected.
Adele's case survived her death. Hers is that one in a million that will stand forever as an outrageous example of near destruction by predators claiming to be protectors.
No matter what Gus Bilirakis does the rest of his life, the spirit of Adele will follow him and people will know of his involvement in her victimization.
As it should be.
I would like to know what Mitchell intends on doing to help stop the abuse in guardianship proceedings within his state, and what he intends on doing about bringing the issue of guardian abuse to the full attention of congress.
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