The Central Oregon Guardian Assistance Program (COGAP) was
established as a non-profit organization in August of 2023 in Bend,
Oregon. COGAP provides pro bono and low-cost guardianship services to
Central Oregonians with limited means who are incapacitated and unable
to make medical, housing, and financial decisions for themselves. Often
these individuals may be unhoused, dealing with learning or cognitive
disabilities, mental illness, acute medical needs, dementia, or
Alzheimer’s Disease and/or substance abuse disorders.
COGAP is looking for visitation volunteers. These volunteers would
regularly visit COGAP clients that are in facility-based care. The idea
behind this volunteer job is to make them feel cared for and not
forgotten. COGAP will set up training beforehand and volunteers can
shadow staff on visits until they feel comfortable doing it by
themselves. It’s very rewarding for all parties involved! We will
conduct background checks on all volunteers.
Other COGAP volunteer opportunities are available as well and can be found by going to www.connectcentraloregon.org.
COGAP is currently supported by St. Charles Health System, Deschutes
County, Horner Law, LLP, Central Oregon Health Council, OnPoint
Community Credit Union, and WaFD. For more information about the Central
Oregon Guardian Assistance Program, visit www.co-gap.com
Although aging is a blessing, it can bring about some challenges. A
loved one of yours may reach the point where they need long-term care,
whether in the form of a home health aide, an assisted living facility,
or a nursing home, and it's essential to plan and prepare for it.
A study
by Urban Institute for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
(HHS) found that 70% of adults who survive to age 65 develop a severe
need for long-term services and support before they die. And
unfortunately, the costs involved can be catastrophic.
In 2023, the monthly median cost to have a home health aide was $6,292, according to Genworth.
The monthly median costs to stay at an assisted living facility and a
private room at a nursing home were $5,350 and $9,733, respectively.
Seeing as how the median retirement savings account balance of
Americans ages 65 to 74 was just $200,000 as of 2022, according to the
Federal Reserve, it’s clear that the typical senior can’t afford these
expenses. The problem, though, is that Medicare won’t pay for long-term
care, and many people can’t afford separate insurance to help pick up
the tab.
If you have a loved one who needs long-term care, you may have a
choice – place their assets into a trust to qualify for Medicaid, which
commonly pays for long-term care, or deplete their assets by paying for
long-term care only to potentially have them wind up getting government
assistance anyway. When you think about it that way, the decision to opt
for a trust is a pretty easy one to make.
The problem with long-term care
It’s a big myth that
Medicare enrollees are entitled to coverage for long-term care. Medicare
will only pay for care that’s medical in nature. If you have surgery
and need to recover for a few weeks in a skilled nursing facility,
that’s covered under Medicare Part A.
But long-term care is often
not medical in nature, but rather, custodial – meaning, pertaining to
everyday activities. And while Medicare will pay for you to recover from
an injury or have and recuperate from surgery, it won’t pay for someone
to help you with everyday living (things like bathing, dressing, and
cooking) not related to a medical issue. (And no, aging is not
considered a medical issue.)
It’s for this reason that so many
older Americans end up with a financial dilemma when they realize they
can’t afford long-term care. And while long-term care insurance could
help cover those costs, it can be prohibitively expensive.
The American Association for Long-Term Care Insurance
puts the average cost of a plan first purchased at age 65 at $1,700 a
year for men and $2,700 a year for women for up to $165,000 in benefits.
And while it's possible to lock in lower annual premiums by putting
coverage in place at a younger age, you're then paying those premiums
for a longer period of time. So that’s not a great solution.
Using Medicaid to pay for long-term care
While Medicare typically won’t pay for long-term care, Medicaid often will. Non-profit KFF estimates
that in 2020, 4.2 million people used Medicaid long-term services and
supports (LTSS) delivered in home and community settings and 1.6 million
used LTSS delivered in institutional settings. Medicaid covered over
half of all LTSS spending in the U.S. that year.
The problem, though, is qualifying for Medicaid.
Eligibility
for Medicaid varies by state, but generally your income and assets need
to be below a certain limit to get approved. Certain types of assets
and income are exempt from calculation. If your countable income and
assets exceed the limit, a state may still find you eligible if you
"spend down" the excess.
Another way to meet the asset limit is
to strategically move assets into a trust so they’re not counted as
income. Specifically, you'll want to look at a Medicaid Asset Protection
Trust. As the name implies, it's an irrevocable trust designed to
exclude assets from being counted toward Medicaid eligibility. If a
trust of this nature is established, and assets are transferred into it
five years before your loved one applies for Medicaid's long-term care
benefits, those assets will not impact their ability to qualify.
But
while establishing one of these trusts is perfectly legal, the question
is, is it immoral? And the answer is, not necessarily.
The whole
reason these trusts exist is because far too many seniors would be
trapped without them. Also, think about it this way. Your loved one
worked hard to accumulate some assets. Does your family deserve to lose
out on them because the need for long-term care arose and you can’t
reasonably pay for it?
Furthermore, say you decide not to create a
trust and you deplete your loved one’s assets paying for care for a
period of time. At that point, your loved one might qualify for Medicaid
anyway.
All told, there’s a huge gap in coverage for long-term
care, and that’s something lawmakers may need to address given an
increasingly aging population. But for now, you shouldn’t feel overly
guilty for exploring a legal loophole designed to help families of
modest means afford the long-term care they need.
New research shows there are some surprising bad habits that may increase your risk of getting dementia.
By Ivanhoe Newswire
ORLANDO, Fla. (Ivanhoe Newswire) - Every
three seconds, someone in the world develops dementia. Currently, there
are more than 55 million people living with dementia worldwide, and that
number is expected to double every 20 years.
Now new research shows there are some surprising bad habits that may increase your risk of getting dementia.
Did
you know sitting for long periods of time at work or home doesn’t just
increase your risk for obesity, heart disease and diabetes, but it can
also raise your risk for dementia? Researchers at UCLA found sitting for
at least 12 hours a day increases your risk by 63%.
“The
data’s pretty solid that physical activity and exercise helps maintain
brain health,” said Glenn Smith, PhD, clinical neuropsychologist at the
University of Florida.
Poor oral hygiene is also a factor. A
study looked at 144 participants in Milwaukee and found severe tooth
loss increased their dementia risk six times more than people who lost
fewer teeth.
“We all know that the
mouth is the gateway to the rest of the body. So, if we can clean our
mouths properly, we can certainly have a tremendous effect, not only in
dentistry, but also in overall health,” said Lawrence Hier, DDS, MS
orthodontist and inventor of PlaqueHD.
Other bad habits include not getting seven to nine hours of sleep per night, drinking too much alcohol, and isolating yourself.
“The
effect of social isolation and loneliness on our health is as powerful
as things like smoking, high blood pressure, obesity,” said Richard S.
Schwartz, MD psychiatrist.
So, get some shut eye, drink in moderation and call a friend to keep your brain in tip top shape.
Skipping
vaccines could also increase your dementia risk. A study found those
over 65 who got a flu shot lowered their risk for Alzheimer’s, a common
form of dementia, by 40% and those who got a pneumonia vaccine were 30%
less likely to develop dementia.
Contributors to this news report include: Milvionne Chery, Producer; Chuck Bennethum, Editor.
The suspect told the woman she won the lottery and sent bogus checks to pay off her credit cards
An 82-year-old Florida woman was scammed for thousands of dollars after
he told her she won the lottery and sent bogus payments to pay off her
credit cards.
By: Adam Walser
LAND O' LAKES, Fla. — A Land O’ Lakes widow received a call saying
she won millions in the lottery, even though she never even played.
The
ABC Action News I-team talked to her about how a scammer convinced her
to send thousands of dollars in cash to another state and how we’ve
learned from federal authorities that this type of crime is growing
rapidly.
Stranger promised $8 million prize
“They took advantage of somebody that was gullible,” said the victim.
Eighty-two-year-old Mary doesn’t want us to show her face or use her
full name because she’s still afraid of the scammer who ruined her life.
It
started with a “too good to be true” call from a man who introduced
himself as “Michael Baxter” and said he represented Mega Millions.
“They told me they were coming to my home to present me with the check,” Mary said.
She said he told her she won $8 million.
Mary said the man then asked her for her credit card information.
“They told me they were going to pay off both Sam’s Club and Truist, and they did. They paid them both off,” she said.
Mary got confirmation from banks that payments had been made to her credit card accounts.
But it turns out those deposits were written with checks that weren’t good.
“About 10 or 12 days later, they reversed the payments,” Mary said.
Payments sent to “Michael Baxter” in Indianapolis
But in the meantime, the man told Mary he was going to send a $12,000
payment to her card, but she first had to take out $6,000 cash advance
to cover the taxes.
She took $6,000, put it into an envelope and took it to a UPS store in Land O’ Lakes.
She then shipped the package to Michael Baxter at a residential address in Indianapolis.
When asked if she thought that made sense, Mary replied, “No, because my bank didn’t question me.”
UPS receipts show Mary sent multiple shipments of cash to recipients at the same address.
WFTS
One shipment was sent to a woman named “Ella."
“That he said was the bookkeeper,” she said.
We contacted investigative reporter Kara Kenney at our sister station in Indianapolis.
She went to the address where Mary sent the money and discovered an 85-year-old woman named Ella lived there.
WRTV
Ella said she did not know Michael Baxter and had not received any packages.
We
also found a news account online about a Mega Millions lottery scheme
in Indianapolis in 2015 involving a suspect who used the name Michael
Baxter.
“Michael” calls us back
There are multiple people named Michael Baxter in Indianapolis, but none have the same phone number or address given to Mary.
One number had a Pennsylvania area code.
We called it and left a message.
A man who identified himself as Michael later called me back.
“What do you call me for?” the man asked in broken English.
We asked him what happened to Mary’s money.
WFTS
“I don’t know Mary,” he responded.
He called back minutes later, saying he wanted to talk to Mary.
Another number Mary said he used to call her was from outside the United States.
Reported elder fraud increases 11%
The FBI says elder fraud is on the rise.
“With any kind of
fraud, what the fraudsters want to do is to get folks to not think
clearly and send money immediately,” said FBI Special Agent Keith
Givens.
In 2023, the bureau received 101,000 elder fraud complaints involving losses of 3.4 billion dollars.
That’s an 11-percent increase over 2022.
Mary contacted Truist and Synchrony Bank, which issued her Sam's Club card.
Neither would return her money.
She’s also contacted the Florida Attorney General’s Office and law enforcement in Pasco County and Indianapolis.
So far, no one has been charged.
“I know I'll never see a dime of it. My head’s not in the clouds that way, you know,” Mary said.
Mary now owes nearly $40,000 from the cash advances and charges.
She once had an 800-credit score, but now can barely pay her bills and is having to continue working.
“I'd like to get to the bottom of this to where I can get my credit rating restored,” Mary said.
She also is speaking out to try to keep the same thing from happening to someone else.
Adult Protective Services is hosting an event on Wednesday to teach the
public how to recognize and combat elder abuse. (SBG San Antonio)
SAN ANTONIO - October is financial exploitation awareness month, and
here in Texas, Adult Protective Services wants to make sure seniors
don't get scammed.
The Adult Protective Services Division of the Texas Department of
Family and Protective Services is hosting its 5th annual Elder Abuse and
Financial Exploitation Symposium.
Speaking with officials with APS, they tell me that it is unfortunately common for older adults to be exploited financially.
According to APS, studies show that at least one in ten older adults faced some form of abuse in the last year.
Some victims lose an estimated total of 28 billion dollars annually due to financial exploitation.
The
Department of Justice released that at least ten percent of adults aged
65 or older will experience some sort of elder abuse in a given year.
Speaking
with Ann Cortez, APS South District Director, she says that usually,
group assets are easily accessible, and there is usually an issue of
isolation that makes them much more vulnerable.
One way to make sure your friends and loved ones do not fall victim is to be engaged with them.
“You
look for signs where you feel that something is not quite right. Maybe
they, a month ago or two months ago, they were fine, able to provide,
and now you’re seeing disconnect notices."
This conference is
expected to last throughout the day from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the San
Antonio Food Bank on Old Highway Ninety.
U.S. Attorney's Office, Southern District of Indiana
INDIANAPOLIS—Martins
Tochukwu Chidiobi, 34, and Lawrence Onyesonwu, 38, of Muncie, have each
been sentenced to three years in federal prison, followed by two years
of supervised release and payment of a $5,000 fine, after pleading
guilty to aggravated identity theft and making false statements to a
financial institution.
According to court documents, between on or
about 2015 and their arrest date in January 2019, Chidiobi and
Onyesonwu worked as Correctional Officers at the New Castle Correctional
Facility, a privately managed prison within the Indiana Department of
Corrections. During that time, Chidiobi and Onyesonwu stole at least
five inmates’ personally identifiable information, including names,
dates of birth, and social security numbers. The defendants used the
stolen identities of the victim inmates to open at least nine accounts
at various Indiana banks using fraudulent passports. The fraudulent
passports were purportedly issued by Nigeria, Liberia, and Ghana, and
included pictures of the defendants, but the names and other information
of the identity theft victims.
The accounts opened by the
defendants with the stolen identities were then used to receive the
proceeds of broader fraud schemes. A total of at least $331,282 was
deposited into the defendants’ fraudulent bank accounts from at least 11
sources. Investigators worked to identify and contact individuals who
deposited funds into fraudulent accounts. Of the eleven depositors able
to be identified, each was themselves the victim of a “romance scam” or
other fraud scheme. Further investigation revealed that the defendants
also received deposits of apparent fraud proceeds into their own
personal bank accounts.
The vast majority of the over $331,282 in
apparent fraud proceeds received by the defendants was withdrawn as
cash. A large portion of the money was transferred into Nigerian bank
accounts.
“It is simply reprehensible for correctional officers to
exploit their positions to steal inmates’ identities and further the
financial exploitation of scam victims,” said Zachary A. Myers, U.S.
Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “Transnational fraud
schemes have lasting repercussions for victims all over the country, and
everyone who commits these crimes must be held accountable. The federal
prison sentences imposed here should serve as a warning that the FBI
and U.S. Attorney’s Office are committed to pursuing financial criminals
and holding them accountable.”
“This sentence highlights the
FBI’s resolve to investigate and prosecute those who exploit their
authority for personal gain. The men and women of the FBI are committed
to showing respect for the dignity of all those we protect including
victims who are incarcerated,” said FBI Indianapolis Special Agent in
Charge Herbert J. Stapleton. “I am extremely proud of the work we do to
protect the rights of all Americans.”
The FBI investigated this case. The sentences were imposed by U.S. District Judge James P. Hanlon.
U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Tiffany J. Preston and Corbin D. Houston, who prosecuted this case.
Supported Decision Making Pennsylvania (SDMPA) will host a webinar on
Wednesday, Oct. 23 at 7 p.m. to raise awareness about Supported Decision
Making (SDM), which is an alternative to guardianship for young adults
with disabilities. The webinar aims to inform individuals with
disabilities, their families, educators and professionals about SDM and
its benefits.
SDM empowers individuals with disabilities to make their own decisions
with support from a trusted network. The webinar will highlight the
differences between SDM and guardianship–which is more restrictive–as
well as the advantages of SDM for individuals, families and communities,
plus explain how to implement SDM using resources from SDMPA.org.
The webinar is open to anyone interested in learning more about SDM and promoting its practices across Pennsylvania.
Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel has expressed approval for the
Michigan Senate's recent passage of Senate Bills 922-925. This
legislative package, supported by both the Attorney General and the
Department’s Elder Abuse Task Force, aims to enhance protections for
vulnerable adults. The bills focus on increasing penalties for abuse and
financial exploitation while promoting prevention programs.
“This legislative package is a critical step toward protecting the
rights and well-being of our State’s vulnerable adults,” stated Nessel.
She emphasized that the legislation addresses longstanding issues
impacting elders and their families, aiming to restore dignity to those
in need. Nessel commended the Senate for passing this legislation and
reiterated her commitment to seeing these reforms reach the Governor’s
desk.
The proposed measures include allowing individuals aged 60 or older,
who are vulnerable adults or have developmental disabilities, to
petition for personal protection orders. They also propose including
embezzlement of a vulnerable adult as a predicate offense for
racketeering, extending legal protections beyond a victim's death, and
enabling counties or regions to form multidisciplinary teams focused on
preventing and addressing abuse.
The Elder Abuse Task Force in Michigan was established in 2019 and
comprises over 55 organizations from various sectors working together
against elder abuse. It involves more than 100 individuals divided into
committees tasked with achieving several initiatives, such as requiring
certification for professional guardians.
Significant achievements of the Task Force include adopting a
Vulnerable Adult Incident Report form used statewide by law enforcement,
implementing related training, enacting the Financial Exploitation
Prevention Act (FEPA) in 2021 mandating reporting by financial
institutions on suspected fraud, revising Power of Attorney statutes,
and making Securities Broker/Dealers mandatory reporters of suspected
financial exploitation.
Earlier this year, the Department supported House Bills 4909-4912
aimed at reforming guardianship statutes in Michigan. It also backs
Senate Bill 656 which seeks to limit conservators' investment options
with estate property.
More than 100,000 older adults in Michigan suffer from elder abuse
involving neglect and exploitation. Residents seeking resources can call
specific hotlines provided by state authorities.
Since its enactment in 1965, the Older Americans Act
(OAA) has guided the priorities and operations of key programs and
services for the benefit of older adults across the United States. The
OAA's primary objective is to promote the well-being, dignity, and
independence of older Americans. By providing billions of dollars in
funding for essential services, the OAA helps seniors live in their
homes and communities for as long as possible.
The OAA Reauthorization Act of 2024,
currently awaiting legislative action, has brought renewed attention to
the challenges faced by seniors in our communities and the resources
needed to support them.
History of the Older Americans Act
The OAA created a nationwide aging network, including Area Agencies on Aging
(AAAs) and local service providers, to deliver vital services to senior
Americans. These services include transportation, caregiver support,
nutrition programs, legal assistance, and health promotion and disease
prevention. The goal of these services is to reduce the need for
institutional care by helping older adults stay active and engaged in
their communities.
The OAA has been reauthorized multiple times since its inception,
with each reauthorization reflecting evolving needs, priorities, and
demographic changes. Its most recent renewal was in 2020, with the last
substantial update taking place in 1988. Reauthorizations typically
update funding levels, introduce new programs, and refine existing ones
to better serve older adults.
Key Provisions of the 2024 Reauthorization
Now approaching its 60th anniversary, the OAA introduces in its 2024 reauthorization several significant updates aimed at addressing current challenges and future demands of the nation’s seniors. Among other changes, the final rule:
Clarifies requirements for state and local plans on aging
Clarifies requirements for coordination among state, local, and tribal programs
Improves consistency of definitions and operations between state and tribal OAA programs
Specifies the broad range of individuals who can receive services and how funds can be used
Clarifies required state and local agency policies and procedures, such as expectations regarding conflicts of interest
Addresses emergency preparedness and response, based on lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic
Establishes expectations for legal assistance and activities to prevent elder abuse
Updates definitions, modernizes requirements, and clarifies
flexibilities within the senior nutrition programs, such as allowing for
continuation of innovations used during the COVID-19 pandemic,
including some carry-out meals that are provided under the congregate
meals program
The Importance of the 2024 Reauthorization
The 2024 reauthorization of the OAA comes at an important time. The
aging population in the U.S. continues to grow. According to the National Council on Aging, the number of Americans aged 65 and older is expected to reach about 78 million by 2040.
This
demographic shift presents both challenges and opportunities. Older
adults contribute significantly to their communities as volunteers,
caregivers, and mentors. At the same time, however, as this age group
grows, so does the need for services that support their health,
independence, and quality of life.
The 2024 OAA reauthorization
reflects a holistic approach to aging, recognizing that older adults
need more than just health care to thrive. By addressing social,
economic, and health-related factors, the OAA aims to create a society
where older adults can age with dignity and security. Additionally, the
emphasis on caregiver support and equitable service delivery ensures
that communities are better equipped to provide the necessary care and
assistance.
Lawmakers have yet to agree on a year-end omnibus
package – and failing to finalize the OAA bill as part of that may have
negative repercussions for funding that helps support various
OAA-sponsored programs for seniors. The Congressional Budget Office
estimates that the OAA Reauthorization Act of 2024 would allot about $15 billion for these programs from 2025 to 2029.
Learn More About the OAA’s 2024 Updates
Learn more about the 2024 Final Rule for the Older Americans Act on the Administration for Community Living's
website. You can also contact an experienced elder law attorney near
you. They can discuss your specific situation and potential options with
you.
For additional reading on topics related to older Americans
as well as various programs supported by the OAA, check out the
following articles:
U.S. Attorney's Office, Eastern District of Pennsylvania
PHILADELPHIA
– United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced that Carlton
Rembert, 70, of Hampton, Virginia, was sentenced on October 11, 2024, by
United States District Judge Joel H. Slomsky to 66 months’
imprisonment, five years of supervised release, $534,335 in restitution
to the victims, and a $400 special assessment for his role in a scheme
to defraud elderly incapacitated people of over $1 million.
Rembert’s
late co-conspirator and sister, Gloria Byars, was a court-appointed
guardian for over 100 incapacitated wards in Pennsylvania. Between 2012
and 2018, Byars, Rembert, and other co-conspirators stole the life
savings from dozens of wards while Byars served as their court-appointed
guardian. Byars pleaded guilty to conspiracy, wire fraud, money
laundering, and tax fraud for her role in the fraud scheme. Rembert
proceeded to trial in November 2023 and after a four-day trial, a jury
found Rembert guilty of conspiracy, bank fraud, and wire fraud.
As
guardian, Byars had unfettered access to wards’ property including bank
accounts, pensions, real estate, retirement accounts, and other assets.
Byars stole money from the wards’ bank accounts by writing unauthorized
checks to companies she controlled, or to shell companies controlled by
her co-conspirators, Rembert and Alesha Mitchell. Rembert and Mitchell
assisted Byars in the theft by opening bank accounts in their home state
of Virginia in the names of shell companies purporting to be medical
services companies. Byars made the checks payable to her
co-conspirators’ fake medical services companies, to make it appear that
the elderly incapacitated ward incurred a legitimate medical expense.
After
receiving dozens of checks from his sister, Rembert deposited over
$695,000 in stolen ward checks into five separate shell business bank
accounts he had opened. Rembert then withdrew over $388,000 in cash
through 94 structured withdrawals. Rembert also obtained $217,082 in
certified checks, sending the certified checks to Byars and keeping a
share of the stolen ward money for himself. When confronted by law
enforcement, Rembert lied to investigators, pretending that he provided
services to the elderly and sick victims. Some of the victims’ families
testified at Rembert’s trial, telling the court that they had never
heard of Rembert’s sham medical companies, and that neither Rembert nor
his companies provided any services for their loved ones.
Rembert
and Byars spent the stolen ward money on personal expenses, including
vacations, clothing and other retail purchases, restaurants, vehicles,
gifts, and parties. In all, Byers, Rembert, and Mitchell stole well over
$1 million from at least 120 incapacitated people in the Eastern
District of Pennsylvania.
Alesha Mitchell is scheduled to be sentenced on October 24.
“Rembert
and his co-conspirators had no qualms about ripping off these
incapacitated victims and living it up on their stolen money,” said U.S.
Attorney Romero. “The greed and callousness here are off the charts.
It’s vile that criminals target the elderly and infirm specifically to
take advantage of their vulnerability. My office and our partners will
continue to do all we can to hold these crooks responsible and protect
our elders from such greed, fraud, and abuse.”
“Elder fraud leaves
a damaging impact on victims and our communities, and our office
remains steadfast in pursuit of those who exploit this vulnerable
population,” said Wayne A. Jacobs, Special Agent in Charge of FBI
Philadelphia. “We encourage those who believe that they or a loved one
are a victim of elder fraud to report it. Reporting elder fraud is not
only a step towards justice, but it helps protect others from
victimization.”
“Carlton Rembert, together with his co-conspirator
Gloria Byars, abused the trust of the most vulnerable among us –
individuals who have been incapacitated by age, illness, or both. What
they did was truly heinous – and truly criminal. I applaud United States
Attorney Romero for prosecuting these individuals, in one of the first
guardianship fraud cases to be prosecuted. Unfortunately, this type of
fraud is increasing, and it is important for law enforcement to send a
clear signal that it will not be tolerated,” said Delaware County
District Attorney Jack Stollsteimer.
“As a law enforcement
community, it is our duty to hold individuals accountable who abuse
their position of trust and steal from the people that are under their
care,” said Amy MacNeely, Acting Special Agent in Charge of IRS Criminal
Investigation. “We, along with our law enforcement partners and the
Department of Justice, will continue to hold accountable those who
exploit the most vulnerable among us.”
The case was investigated
by the FBI, the Delaware County District Attorney’s Office Criminal
Investigation Division, and IRS Criminal Investigation and is being
prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Tiwana Wright and Samuel
Dalke.
LUBBOCK, Texas — October is Elderly Financial Exploitation Month and EverythingLubbock.com learned about the most common forms of financial exploitation and preventative measures.
“We
want to talk about it because people don’t talk about it,” Marci
Leffer, Community Engagement Specialist at Adult Protective Services
(APS), said.
According
to Leffer, in 2023 Texas had 13,380 reported exploitation cases, 292 of
those in the Lubbock area. Leffer explained there are two types of
financial exploitation: financial abuse (when the perpetrator is someone
the victim knows) and financial fraud (when the perpetrator is a
stranger). APS deals with financial abuse, but Leffer provided tips for
both situations.
Once
elders realize they’ve been financially exploited, they are overcome
with embarassment making them unlikely to tell anyone. Prevention,
according to Leffer, starts with being educated.
Why are the elderly easier targets for financial exploitation and scams?
Leffer
said in a lot of cases older people tend to be more trusting and always
answer the phone. She explained they are challenged when it comes to
technology and their brains are not as quick as they used to be. Beyond
that, scammers get them into a state of panic, making it seem urgent to
take action in a financial fraud situation.
When
it comes to financial abuse, loneliness often factors in, Leffer said.
This can cause the elderly to befriend and place trust in someone they
do not know and then get burned later on. Other times perpetrators are
close family members taking advantage of their older family member by
taking over their finances.
“It
really becomes evident that this is so underreported and how people who
have worked their whole lives are left in such a desperate spot,”
Leffer said.
Her advice to prevent being a victim of financial exploitation?
“If you don’t know who’s calling, don’t answer the phone,” Leffer stressed.
The
biggest misconception amongst older people who are financially
exploited is that it will not happen to them because “I’m smarter than
they are,” according to Leffer.
APS
does not investigate or assist when it’s a scammer’s issue but Leffer
explained they can interfere once people have been scammed to the extent
where they put themselves in a state of self-neglect. APS can come in
and offer some assistance and resources, and connect victims with people
who can help them.
Leffer advised that
people concerned about their parents should stay involved in their
lives. Older people can also confide in their financial advisors,
bankers or really just someone other than family for better advice, said
Leffer. All in all, protect your information and make sure that you
have someone in your corner that you can trust.
Some available resources are listed below:
Adult Protective Services (APS)
APS
is a resource if you have been exploited. They assist people ages 65
and up or 18 to 64 for those with a substantial disability. Leffer said
she also hosts presentations to groups and those interested can email
her at marci.leffler@dfps.texas.gov.
Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC)
The
FDCI’s Money Smart for Older Adults Program raises awareness among
older adults and their caregivers on how to prevent fraud, scams and
other elder financial exploitation. Click here for more.
U.S. Department of Justice(DOJ)
The DOJ has a section on its website called the Elder Justice Initiative for victims of financial exploitation to find help, webinars, warning signs of financial exploitation and more.
A Lancaster County executor has been arrested for allegedly stealing funds from an estate he was responsible for.
According to the Ephrata Police Department,
58-year-old Dervin L. Bender stole $27,760 from the estate over
approximately two years. Authorities charged Bender with theft by
unlawful taking and financial exploitation of an adult or care-dependent
person.
According to police,
Bender was one of two co-executors of the estate. The deceased's will
decreed that after payments and taxes, the remainder of the finances
would be distributed in equal shares to Bender and three other people.
Bender
and the co-executor were supposed to both sign any checks issued from
the estate, but Bender endorsed several checks and distributed them to
himself for personal expenses, the investigation discovered.
Bender also did not pay all of the estate's outstanding expenses, which totaled more than $15,000, police discovered.
Bender
also sold the deceased's home for $15,000 and did not deposit the money
into the estate's bank account, according to police.
When
interviewed by police, Bender admitted to keeping the funds from the
sale of the home for himself, and endorsing and issuing checks to
himself from the estate. He allegedly told police he spent all the money
on gifts for his grandchildren and personal expenses.
Bender was arraigned on Tuesday and released on unsecured bail.
PORTAGE COUNTY, Ohio (WOIO) - Portage
County Probate Court announced that the court’s fiscal officer Jennifer
Urbania has been arrested on an allegation of theft from a previous
employer.
Urbania started her job with
the court on July 22 of this year after completing the court’s standard
interview process and passing a BCI background check.
The
court said allegations are wholly unrelated to Ms. Urbania’s employment
with the Court or its finances, but Judge Patricia J. Smith has
requested a full audit of all financial records and accounts to which
Ms. Urbania had access.
County Auditor Matt Kelly will oversee that process. Urbania has been placed on unpaid leave.
Keith Johnson fell and couldn't get up during a morning walk with his dog, Gita. The loyal canine knew her owner was in trouble and ran down to a main road looking for help. Washington Deputy Colton Wright ran right behind Gita and found Johnson unable to get up with a broken hip. The deputy went back to the man's truck to get a bottle of water and Gita was right there. Now, the beloved pet is being hailed a hero.
