Man, who was held captive in Waterbury home for 20 years releases first public statement

The man, who is calling himself “S” to protect his identity, is speaking out in through the nonprofit organization, “Survivors Say,” and also thanking the people who are helping him recover.

Source:
Man, who was held captive in Waterbury home for 20 years releases first public statement

See Also:
Bodycam in Connecticut house of horrors shows suspect after stepson's fiery escape

Conservator for Waterbury man held captive for decades wants case file sealed

New details emerge after man held hostage for 20 years in Waterbury

Why Kimberly Sullivan Made A SHOCKING 911 Call

Sister of man held captive by stepmom for 21 years speaks out | Banfield

Heather Tessman, half-sister of the 69-pound man known as "Male Victim One," joined NewsNation to discuss his case. She last saw him as an infant and searched for him — until a month ago, when she saw news reports of his escape from a Connecticut house fire. The 32-year-old victim says he was held captive for 21 years, enduring torment since age 11. Tessman, placed in foster care and later adopted, lived a normal life just 15 minutes away. Stepmother Kimberly Sullivan faces kidnapping and assault charges but is free on $300,000 bail.

Source:
Sister of man held captive by stepmom for 21 years speaks out | Banfield 

Broward Circuit Judge could face suspension over 'inappropriate' comments

By Dara Kam

TALLAHASSEE — Circuit Judge Gary Farmer, a former state Senate Democratic leader, is facing a recommendation that he be immediately suspended after an investigative panel accused him of “pervasive and extensive” behavior demonstrating “a present unfitness to hold office.”

Farmer, a former trial lawyer, was elected as a judge in Broward County’s 17th Judicial Circuit in 2022 after six years in the Senate. He served as Senate minority leader during the 2021 legislative session but was ousted after a vote of no confidence by fellow Democrats.

An investigative panel of the state Judicial Qualifications Commission on Thursday filed a notice of formal charges against Farmer accusing him of repeatedly making inappropriate comments. It recommended that he be immediately suspended without pay pending the outcome of the proceedings. The commission makes recommendations about judicial conduct to the Florida Supreme Court, which has ultimate disciplinary authority.

The suspension recommendation also alleged Farmer “willfully ignored the requirements of applicable statutes or rules of procedure, or was unaware of the most basic elements of the law which governed his actions as a judge in the felony division.”

Farmer, who rotated out of the circuit’s criminal division in September amid the commission’s probe, had no comment when contacted Thursday by The News Service of Florida.

The suspension recommendation also said Farmer did not appear as required at a hearing in March.

The panel “believes that his misconduct is egregious and serious, and could clearly affect the public's perception of the judiciary,” Alexander John Williams, an attorney for the commission, wrote in the 13-page recommendation for suspension.

“While Judge Farmer might argue that he has changed his behavior … the panel believes that in this case, the damage is already done,” the recommendation said.

The probe into Farmer began after a complaint about comments he made while presiding over felony cases in August. The panel found comments “discriminatory, offensive, sexually charged, and demeaning.”

As an example, Farmer “referenced and quoted extensively from a comedy sketch that makes fun of gay people,” court documents filed by the commission said.

“That is not the only time you used double entendre as humor in the courtroom. While presiding over the August 15, 2024, hearing you said, ‘Spring is here, I got so excited I wet my plants’ and ‘What did the shirt say to the pair of pants? Wassup britches!’ Apparently, these are some of what you referred to as your ‘exceptionally, exceptionally bad jokes,’” the commission’s lawyer wrote in the notice of formal charges filed at the Supreme Court.

The commission “became aware of numerous other instances involving comments and other forms of misconduct” while investigating the August comments, the suspension recommendation said.

While presiding over first appearance hearings on Oct. 15, 2023, Farmer made “numerous remarks that were wholly inappropriate, undignified, or discourteous, or otherwise behaved in a manner that is degrading to the solemnity of the proceedings, fails to uphold the high standard of conduct expected of judges, and fails to promote public confidence in the integrity and impartiality of the judiciary,” the notice of charges said.

The recommended suspension also pointed to Farmer’s treatment of a defendant who had a court-ordered competency evaluation pending in a separate case before another judge.

Farmer “conducted an ad hoc, unscientific competency evaluation by asking the defendant random questions. Notwithstanding the fact that the defendant was already awaiting a competency evaluation in another matter, and had answered some of Judge Farmer's trivia questions wrong, Judge Farmer declared her competent and accepted her guilty plea,” the recommendation said.

Farmer “was unable to recall if there even was a rule governing competency” when questioned about his handling of the matter, according to the documents filed Thursday.

“The panel believes that the pervasiveness and extensive nature of Judge Farmer's misconduct demonstrates a present unfitness to hold office,” the suspension recommendation said.

The investigative panel said four factors must be considered when recommending that a judge be suspended.

“Under the right conditions, a single one of these factors might carry enough weight to warrant a recommendation of suspension: Here, the respondent (Farmer) touches on all of them,” Williams wrote.

The probe into Farmer began in October, and Farmer appeared before the panel for a hearing in December. The panel notified Farmer on March 6 about a second investigation and ordered him to appear for a hearing on March 28.

Farmer “provided no response whatsoever, written or otherwise, to the second notice of investigation, save his email on the morning of the hearings claiming that he had intended to appear,” the suspension recommendation said.

The judge’s decision “to not appear as ordered in the Order to Show Cause (hearing) simply brings his lack of responsiveness into high relief,” the recommendation said.

Farmer sent an email at 6:20 a.m. the day of the hearing saying he had an unspecified emergency requiring his “immediate, in-person attention,” according to the recommendation.

"I have learned important lessons on judicial demeanor and have avoided any further missteps. I can assure you I will continue to preside in this more appropriate manner," Farmer wrote on March 28.

But Farmer also told the investigative panel, "I don't think we can say, as judges, that we never — there's never a light moment or a joke in court, so I don't want to overstate it, but I am not doing bad jokes anymore," according to the recommendation.

The notice of charges also said Farmer said he was aware that his behavior was “incongruous” with what is expected of a judge in court.

When asked why he did not handle a first-degree felony case, Farmer said the “dad jokes don’t go well in murder cases” and referred to “Night Court,” a sitcom from the 1980s.

“The reference to the television show Night Court seems to be particularly apt here. However much Judge Farmer believes he is like the fictional Harry Stone, it goes without saying that the circus-like atmosphere that made the television show a comedic parody of real life court proceedings is completely antithetical to the manner in which a real court proceeding should be conducted and violative of the Code of Judicial Conduct,” the suspension recommendation said.

Full Article & Source:
Broward Circuit Judge could face suspension over 'inappropriate' comments

Seminole County judge suspended by Florida Supreme Court

The conduct of a Central Florida judge leads to a suspension.

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Seminole County judge suspended by Florida Supreme Court

Hancock County probate judge suspended from the bench a 2nd time

by Bill Trotter

Hancock County’s elected probate judge has been suspended from the bench for the second time in the past year.

William B. Blaisdell IV, who has held the part-time position for the past 10 years, has been barred from presiding over the county’s probate cases for a year. The suspension was ordered by the Maine Supreme Judicial Court on Wednesday, April 16.

The latest suspension for Blaisdell comes after he has been found at fault by multiple judges for failing to live up to court-ordered obligations related to his 2019 divorce.

His second suspension from the bench — after having been suspended for four months last fall — comes nine days after his law license was suspended for a full year, following an investigation by the Maine Board of Overseers of the Bar, which regulates the conduct of licensed lawyers in the state. In addition to working part-time as a probate judge, Blaisdell has maintained a private law practice.

In Wednesday’s suspension order, justices on the state’s top court noted that probate judges must be admitted to practice law in the state of Maine and, with his law license under suspension, Blaisdell is ineligible to serve on the bench. Blaisdell, 55, is an Ellsworth resident.

His suspension as a probate judge shall remain in effect for eight months “or until he is reinstated as an attorney in good standing eligible to practice law in the state of Maine, whichever is later,” the justices wrote.

County officials have said that state law allows them to arrange to have another probate judge in Maine come to Hancock County to preside over cases while Blaisdell is suspended. Probate judges make rulings on family-related legal matters such as estates, guardianships and name changes.

Blaisdell has come under public scrutiny in the past year after first being found in contempt of court in Waldo County for not following court orders related to his divorce settlement. In March 2024, a judge presiding over his divorce agreement castigated Blaisdell for not paying nearly $50,000 to his ex-wife in child support and attorneys fees, and for not filing federal or state income tax returns for at least three years.

As a result of that contempt order, the overseers reached an agreement to suspend Blaisdell for a year, but that suspension was put on hold as long as Blaisdell met certain conditions. Part of those conditions were that he file and make needed payments on his overdue tax returns within 90 days, and that he promptly and fully comply with all court orders, including those related to his divorce.

Separately from that decision — as a result of a parallel inquiry into the same circumstances by the State Committee on Judicial Conduct — the state’s top court suspended Blaisdell last fall for four months from presiding over the county probate court.

“We view Judge Blaisdell’s misconduct as egregious and deserving of significant sanction,” the court wrote in its previous suspension order last September. “Disobedience of a court order by anyone is serious, but contempt of a court order by a sitting judge cannot be tolerated. We cannot expect the public to have respect and confidence in our courts when a judge himself flouts court orders.”

Since returning to the bench earlier this year, however, Blaisdell again failed to live up to the terms of his divorce. A second judge presiding in Waldo County in February again held him in contempt of court for not paying $17,000 in overdue child support and attorney’s fees to his ex-wife. The $17,000 he owed two months ago was in addition to the previous $50,000 he had not paid as of March 2024.

During a call with state officials last month about the overseers’ most recent petition, Blaisdell acknowledged that he was not up to date on filing and making payments on his overdue tax returns from recent years, or with filing proof of that compliance with the Overseers of the Bar, according to an order signed last month by Justice James Martemucci.

Over the past 14 months, Blaisdell has not responded to numerous emails or voice mails from the Bangor Daily News seeking comment about the multiple court orders against him and investigations into his conduct.

Blaisdell has served as Hancock County’s probate judge since first being elected to the position in 2014. Four years later, he narrowly won re-election in 2018 against Lynne Williams, a lawyer from Bar Harbor who went on to serve in the Maine House of Representatives before her law license was suspended in January for alleged misconduct.

Blaisdell was re-elected as probate judge without opposition in 2022. He will be up for re-election to the position next year and, so far, no one has filed paperwork to run against him, according to campaign filings posted on the Maine Ethics Commission website.

Full Article & Source:
Hancock County probate judge suspended from the bench a 2nd time

Stan Lee’s Daughter Speaks Out on Elder Abuse Allegations

JC Lee denies abusing her parents, and says she regrets not speaking out sooner.

By Michael Hein

Stan Lee’s daughter JC Lee denied the allegations that she abused her elderly parents in a new interview with Business Insider published on Monday. This is the first time JC has responded to these claims, which were first raised by The Hollywood Reporter in April of 2018. The article described alleged financial abuse and exploitation by several people, including one business manager who was referred to Lee by JC. It also included allegations that JC herself had physically abused her parents — slamming Lee’s head against the back of a chair in anger at one point and grabbing her mother’s arm so hard it bruised.

“They are all lies,” JC said in this new interview. “I never did it… I never ever touched my parents.” The 75-year-old said that she was advised not to make a public denial back in 2018, but she regrets it now in hindsight. However, she believes that her father was exploited for his money, and that the people who did it are walking free today, reaping the benefits.

The THR article that started this story came less than a year after Lee’s wife, Joan Boocock died at the age of 95, and six months before Lee himself died on November 12, 2018, also at 95. It led to criminal elder abuse charges against Lee’s former business manager, Keya Morgan, which were dropped in 2022 when a jury deadlocked on his case. It also singled out Jerardo Olivarez, a business manager recommended to Lee by his daughter, whom Lee sued before his death.

The allegations against JC never led to charges, but they were serious on several front. She was portrayed as spoiled and entitled, frequently clashing with her parents over money and property. The article’s claim of physical violence stemmed from a 2014 incident where JC supposedly attacked her parents after discovering that her new Jaguar was leased in her father’s name, not her own. The sources said that Lee and Boocock did not go to the authorities because they believed JC was in a delicate mental state.

JC herself acknowledged that she is prone to rage and tantrums in her new interview. She told Business Insider that she often screamed at her parents, but never hit them or hurt them. JC’s former business partner, James MacLean, added that screaming was generally a big part of the family dynamic for all three of them.

Now, JC said that she believes some of the people handling business interests and money for her father late in his life succeeded in enriching themselves, leaving her without the inheritance she was expecting. “I feel these people have taken my life,” she said, “and they’re eating off gold utensils and I’m eating off plastic.”

Full Article & Source:
Stan Lee’s Daughter Speaks Out on Elder Abuse Allegations

See Also:
Judge dismisses theft charges against Stan Lee's former manager

Stan Lee’s Estate Settles With Ex-Business Manager in Elder Abuse Case  

Stan Lee’s estate settles elder abuse lawsuit against ex-business manager 

 

Stan Lee Needs Saving, Not By A Superhero, But By A Conservator

 

Stan Lee Needs a Hero: Elder Abuse Claims and a Battle Over the Aging Marvel Creator

Judge Dismisses Restraining Order Protecting Stan Lee 

 

Allegations Of Abuse Marred Stan Lee’s Last Years — A Guardianship Might Have Protected Him

 

Stan Lee Elder Abuse Case

Florida Investigation Leads To Arrest Of Accused Elderly Pop-Up Scammer In New York

by Liz Shultz

Weikai Zhang, 43

A man accused of hiding behind his computer to operate a lucrative internet pop-up scam targeting elderly residents is now behind bars after a multi-state investigation led to his capture, the Martin County Sheriff’s Office announced Monday.

Weikai Zhang, 43, was apprehended in New York following extensive detective work by the Martin County Sheriff’s criminal investigations detectives in collaboration with the U.S. Marshals Fugitive Task Force. Authorities allege Zhang is part of a larger national criminal organization that preys on seniors, using deceptive internet pop-ups to swindle them out of their life savings.

According to the Sheriff’s Office, Zhang fled Florida for New York, hoping to evade capture after allegedly stealing more than $50,000 from a senior citizen in Martin County. Investigators believe that during his time operating in Florida, Zhang orchestrated thefts totaling approximately $613,000 from several victims, including the Palm City resident.

The scam typically involves fake security warnings or technical support messages popping up on victims’ computers, tricking them into believing their device is compromised and convincing them to pay for unnecessary services or grant remote access to scammers.

“He never wanted you to see his face, so he hid behind a keyboard,” the Sheriff’s Office stated, emphasizing the deceptive nature of the crime. “Through exceptional detective work, we located him.”

A computer screen no longer conceals Zhang.

He has been arrested and faces serious charges in Florida, including Organized Scheme to Defraud, Exploitation of a Person 65 Years or Older, and Conspiracy to Commit Grand Theft. His bond has been set at $700,000.

Authorities urge the public, especially seniors and their families, to be wary of unsolicited pop-up messages on computers demanding payment or requesting remote access.

If you encounter such a scam, do not click on links, call the numbers provided, or give out personal information. Report suspicious activity to local law enforcement or the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3).

Full Article & Source:
Florida Investigation Leads To Arrest Of Accused Elderly Pop-Up Scammer In New York

Wife wants Minnesota county commissioner off board as his cognition declines

The Stearns County Board includes longtime Commissioner Leigh Lenzmeier, front left. (Stearns County)

By Jenny Berg

ST. CLOUD – The wife of a longtime Stearns County Board member is filing for guardianship over her husband because his recent cognitive decline is affecting his ability to act as an elected commissioner, she says.

On April 7, a Wright County judge granted Alice Lenzmeier of St. Cloud emergency guardianship over Leigh Lenzmeier, 77, who has been residing in an assisted living facility in Buffalo for about a year.

The temporary guardianship lasts 60 days. Meanwhile, an evidentiary hearing scheduled for next week is the first step in the process of obtaining a longer-term guardianship.

“This is all about preserving his dignity and respect — and getting him off that board," Alice Lenzmeier said Monday. “I don’t feel the need for the whole world to watch him go downhill. And he’s not doing the job. Let’s be honest with that.”

In a phone interview Monday, Leigh Lenzmeier acknowledged some health concerns but said he plans on serving the rest of his four-year term, which runs through 2026.

“I was having problems … regarding nutrition and it was really screwing me up. And now that I’m on a regular routine, things are quite a bit better,” he said. “The idea that this is the end of the line is an overstatement.”

The guardianship order states his “memory, executive functioning and ability to care for himself have been in decline over the past 15 years with rapid acceleration” in recent years.

The order lists a diagnosis of major neurocognitive disorder, which is characterized by a “progressive and persistent deterioration of cognitive function” in which “affected patients often have memory loss and a partial or significant lack of insight into their deficits,” according to the National Library of Medicine. 

The order cites a doctor’s report from December that states, “based on the results from testing, it is recommended that he step down from his position. Given his cognitive difficulties, his ability to learn and remember information, critically examine information, and reason through decisions is likely compromised.”

In her petition, Alice Lenzmeier wrote that her husband has been “irregularly participating in meetings and voting on significant and complex matters without the capacity to understand the work he is performing or that he may be manipulated to vote in ways that he does not understand.”

Had he been willing to resign, she would not have felt the need to file for emergency guardianship, Alice Lenzmeier said.

“I resent being pushed to this limit,” she said.

In addition to the regular commissioner meetings, which Leigh Lenzmeier has mostly been attending virtually, he is tasked with going to dozens more committee meetings each year.

He admitted he’s gone to very few committee meetings in the past year but said he hopes to move to a care facility in St. Cloud so he could take public transportation to those meetings.

County Administrator Mike Williams said Monday that he anticipates the board will discuss the guardianship at its next meeting next Tuesday.

“The board’s been very concerned with the situation and he’s been [in assisted living] for more than a year but there really hasn’t been any official information available to the board for it to really do anything,” he said.

The upcoming evidentiary hearing should provide insight into whether the guardianship will be permanent. If it is, “then clearly I think the county board would be interested in considering taking action or would feel compelled to take some action,” Williams said.

“I think people are wanting to do [for] Leigh as good as we can,” he added. “He’s had a long service and it’s a difficult situation for everybody.”

Leigh Lenzmeier has represented much of St. Cloud and part of Waite Park on the board for more than three decades.

Minnesota law lays out a framework for county officials to be removed from office because of failure to perform required duties. Any voter may petition the county to request removal of an official, which would spur a special election.

David Schultz, a professor of political science and legal studies at Hamline University, said Monday that he thinks the county board would be able vote on a motion to remove Lenzmeier if they found he hasn’t met the residency requirement or attended required meetings for 90 days. But much of this is without precedent, he said.

Leigh Lenzmeier has been appointed an attorney to represent him. As for the evidentiary hearing next Monday, Leigh Lenzmeier said, “I’ll make my case and it goes where it goes.”

Full Article & Source:
Wife wants Minnesota county commissioner off board as his cognition declines

Warrenton man charged with fraud, financial exploitation of an elderly person

Matthew Bligh, 31, of Warrenton, was charged with the fraudulent use of a debit card and financial exploitation of an elderly person on April 14. Both charges are felonies. 

A witness reported suspicious activity on the 75-year-old victim’s bank statements from May, June, July and August of 2024, according to the probable cause statement filed by Detective James Plackemeier. 

The report also stated the victim does not drive and needs help getting groceries every week. 

According to the probable cause statement, the victim provided Bligh with her debit card to purchase groceries from Wal-Mart. Plackemeier stated between June 24, 2024 and Aug. 5 2024 Bligh, along with his fiance, used the debit card to make purchases at businesses and withdrawals from ATMs 24 times totaling roughly $3,300. 

During an interview with Bligh, he said he made the withdrawals “to have some extra cash” and during a separate interview with suspect 2, she said she and Bligh made the withdrawals together because they thought they could get away with it, according to the probable cause statement. 

Bligh has an initial appearance hearing scheduled for May 28.  

Full Article & Source:
Warrenton man charged with fraud, financial exploitation of an elderly person

Woman accused of stealing $44,000 worth of jewelry from elderly woman

By WBRC Staff and Amanda Alvarado

MOUNTAIN BROOK, Ala. (WBRC/Gray News) - A woman is accused of stealing more than $50,000 worth of sterling silver flatware and jewelry, including a wedding band from an elderly woman.

Jacqueline Gaydash is charged with financial exploitation of the elderly and theft.

According to court records, Gaydash “did knowingly and intentionally use deception to obtain or exert unauthorized control over” the victim’s property.

Gaydash is accused of stealing four gold bracelets, a diamond tennis bracelet and a sapphire and diamond ring with a wedding band valued at more than $44,040.

She’s also accused of taking $11,000 worth of sterling silver flatware.

Gaydash could face up to 20 years in prison.

Full Article & Source:
Woman accused of stealing $44,000 worth of jewelry from elderly woman

New Mexico Supreme Court adopts bill of rights for adults under guardianship

by: Jordan Honeycutt

NEW MEXICO (KRQE) – New Mexicans under guardianship now have a formal document that breaks down their rights. The New Mexico Supreme Court has adopted the Bill of Rights for Adults Who Have a Guardian, which is a list of 21 rights covering three areas: access to justice, core human rights, and decision-making. They include the right to safe living conditions, to have a competent guardian, and to access services.  

When problems arise, an adult under guardianship can send a letter to the judge, and a hearing can be set to discuss the issue. The Working Interdisciplinary Network of Guardianship Stakeholders, the group behind the bill of rights, said they wanted to draft a document that was easy to read and understand. “So the person who is under guardianship will know what their rights are. It’s not in legal terminology. It’s not big difficult words. It’s on an easy-to-read level,” said Judge Lee Kirksey, Fifth Judicial District Court.

The bill of rights will now be distributed to district court judges throughout the state, and the courts are working to notify guardians and those under guardianship.

Full Article & Source:
New Mexico Supreme Court adopts bill of rights for adults under guardianship

Public Comment Sought on Proposed Changes to Guardianship Rules

By Kathleen Maloney

The Supreme Court of Ohio opened a public comment period on proposed amendments to the requirements governing guardianships for adults.

The proposal would make changes to the Rules of Superintendence for Courts of Ohio to clarify how probate courts should handle guardians who are family members and apply to be direct service providers for their adult wards. Unless otherwise authorized by law, the current rules don’t allow a direct service provider to be appointed by a probate judge as a guardian for a ward. Direct services include medical and nursing care; case management services; care coordination; speech, occupational, or physical therapy; counseling; and legal representation.

The intent of the current rules was to prevent professional guardians from also providing direct services due to the inherent conflict of interest. However, the prohibition wasn’t intended to apply to a guardian who is a family member of the ward.

A Commission on the Rules of Superintendence subcommittee that reviewed the rules noted concerns about the shortage of direct support professionals and the need for more family member guardians to become a provider of services to adult wards. The proposed changes from the commission would:

• Add a new definition to Rule 66.01 for the term “family member.”
• Amend Rule 66.04 to remove the overall restriction on direct service providers from being appointed as a guardian.
• Amend Rule 66.09(G) to clarify that guardians may not provide direct services without notifying the court and following the necessary accreditation process. The rule contains an exception for family member guardians.

Comments on the proposed amendments should be submitted in writing no later than May 5, 2025, to:

Keely McWhorter
Supreme Court of Ohio
65 South Front Street
Columbus, Ohio 43215
OR
RuleAmendments@sc.ohio.gov

Full Article & Source:
Public Comment Sought on Proposed Changes to Guardianship Rules

Attorney General Bonta: Owner of Santa Cruz Residential Care Home Arrested for Elder Abuse

SANTA CRUZ – California Attorney General Rob Bonta today announced the arrest and charges against the owner of Rose Garden Residential Care Home and her employee for felony elder abuse that caused the death of a dependent adult in their care. Both defendants have been taken into custody and will face prosecution by the California Department of Justice Division of Medi-Cal Fraud and Elder Abuse, for a single count of felony elder abuse each.
 
“Elders deserve care, respect, and protection,” said Attorney General Bonta. “Those who are responsible for the care of elderly and dependent adults carry a profound duty to ensure their safety and well-being. At the California Department of Justice, we are committed to standing against any form of elder abuse or neglect, and we will take immediate action to hold accountable those who exploit or harm these vulnerable individuals.”
 
The victim, an 88-year-old dementia patient, was discovered deceased after departing from Rose Garden. The investigation revealed that the staff member responsible for his care fell asleep and was unaware of his absence. Dressed only in a t-shirt and diaper, the victim wandered .4 miles away from Rose Garden and died due to cold exposure. 
 
It is important to note that criminal charges must be proven in a court of law. Every defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.

DMFEA works to protect Californians by investigating and prosecuting those responsible for abuse, neglect, and fraud committed against elderly and dependent adults in the state, and those who perpetrate fraud on the Medi-Cal program.
 
The Division of Medi-Cal Fraud and Elder Abuse receives 75 percent of its funding from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services under a grant award totaling $69,244,976 for Federal fiscal year (FY) 2025. The remaining 25 percent is funded by the State of California. FY 2025 is from October 1, 2024, through September 30, 2025.
 
A copy of the complaint can be found here. 

Source:
Attorney General Bonta: Owner of Santa Cruz Residential Care Home Arrested for Elder Abuse

Caregiver charged with attempted assault

by Felix Day

Greenwich, NY — According to Sheriff Jeffrey J. Murphy, Greenwich woman Sarah Campbell has been arrested and charged with Attempted Assault in the 2nd Degree.

Authorities say Campbell attempted to assault a victim over the age of 65, for whom she was a caregiver, in the Town of Greenwich.

Campbell was taken into custody and held at the Washington County Jail.

She was later arraigned in Centralized Arraignment and released on her own recognizance.

Campbell is scheduled to appear in the Town of Greenwich Court at a future date.

Full Article & Source:
Caregiver charged with attempted assault

Woman arrested for posing as a man to bilk elderly victims out of $1.5 million in romance con

By Brad Matthews

A Pawnee, Oklahoma, woman was arrested this week, accused of posing as a man under multiple aliases and scamming four out-of-state elderly women out of $1.5 million.

The victims, ages 64 to 79, thought they were in a romantic relationship and sent money in the form of Apple gift cards, cash, cashier’s checks and wire transfers. The person at the other end, however, was Christine Joan Echohawk, 53, Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond said in a statement.

Alleged aliases used by Ms. Echohawk included “Edward Lotts,” to whom one of the victims sent over $600,000. The victim sent the money so that “Lotts” could pay off a debt, receive $2 million, and have the victim move in with him, according to an affidavit.

That victim, whose name was redacted, sold her house to raise the money.

Another alleged alias was “Jason Morris.” One victim sent over $100,000, starting in October 2024, for supplies and fuel for an oil tanker based in Turkey.

Another sent over $200,000 that was supposed to be used on fuel for a stranded oil tanker in Alaska loaded up with 700,000 barrels of oil. After the tanker returned, the victim thought she would move in with “Morris.”

Ms. Echohawk is also accused of posing as “Glenn Goadard” and telling a victim that she had known him since college. The victim sent $250,000 for expenses related to a supposed financial portfolio he was sending her from Syria.

Ms. Echohawk is also accused of telling victims to lie to banks that put a hold on the transfer of funds after they suspected senior fraud.

Ms. Echohawk allegedly laundered the proceeds through various accounts into cryptocurrency, which she then sent to “Maurice Dinero,” which authorities believe is another alias.

The charges include four counts of laundering unlawful proceeds and one count of using a computer to violate Oklahoma statutes. If convicted, Ms. Echohawk faces between 24 and 62 years in prison and fines of up to $260,000.

“These types of scams that target seniors are especially egregious. I applaud the work of my Consumer Protection Unit to fight for these victims and to hold accountable their alleged perpetrator,” Mr. Drummond said.

Full Article & Source:
Woman arrested for posing as a man to bilk elderly victims out of $1.5 million in romance con

Public guardian accused of stealing $100,000 enters plea

by Susan Samples

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — A West Michigan guardian who stole from people she was supposed to protect faces up to ten years in prison.

Kimberley St. Onge pleaded no contest in a Kent County courtroom Thursday afternoon to three counts of embezzlement from a vulnerable adult between $20,000 and $50,000.

St. Onge’s attorney told a judge that her client pleaded no contest due to potential civil liability; a no contest plea is not an admission of guilt, but it’s treated as such for sentencing purposes.

Each of the three counts carries up to ten years in prison, and 17th Circuit Court Judge George J. Quist could order those sentences to run consecutively instead of concurrently, which is more common.

“Unfortunately, this woman took a lot of money from a lot of vulnerable people,” Kent County Prosecutor Chris Becker told Target 8. “Caused a lot of harm.”

Becker said St. Onge stole more than $100,000 from 13 vulnerable adults for whom she served as guardian.

St. Onge had no criminal record when she applied to become a public guardian through Kent County Probate Court. The guardianship program confirmed that St. Onge served in that role from May 2023 to May 2024.

The program also confirmed that it runs criminal record, central registry and credit checks on all who apply to become guardians.

According to a police report obtained by Target 8, St. Onge convinced the Social Security Office to put her name on one of her ward’s benefit checks and mail it to her private P.O. Box.

Grand Rapids Police reported that St. Onge also wrote checks to her own family on her wards’ bank accounts, made unauthorized transfers and ATM withdrawals, and spent the money on gas, a hotel, Taco Bell and T-Mobile, among other purchases.

“The real tragic part is they’re not getting their money back,” said Becker. “I mean, yeah, there will be a restitution order, and they’ll be told they have to pay this, but when you’re talking about this kind of money, it’s not like they’re putting it in a savings account. It’s gone. We don’t know where exactly the money went. It’s not like (St. Onge) had a whole lot of assets.”

Becker encourages people to watch out for each other, especially the most vulnerable among us.

“I always ask the people around the vulnerable people, be the eyes and ears,” explained Becker. “If a vulnerable person has a guardian, they usually have some sort of mental incapacity, some short-term memory loss. They don’t know what’s happening. But if they’re being isolated, that’s the biggest thing, if they’re isolated without any other contact with anybody else, that’s when they’re really susceptible to being a target and being victimized like this.”

St. Onge is scheduled for sentencing in Kent County Circuit Court May 12.

Full Article & Source:
Public guardian accused of stealing $100,000 enters plea

Guardianship Judge to Wendy Williams on Career: "It's Done"

by Jillian Bowe

Lord in the morning! The judge in Wendy Williams' conservatorship wants all the smoke with her and she gave it to her in court. On Thursday, Williams was in court for a hearing and Judge Lisa Sokoloff ripped into the former talk show host and her family TMZ is reporting. The site claims Sokoloff lit into Williams' niece WPLG Local 10 Miami news anchor Alex Finnie and accused her of leaking info about Williams and the case to the media and threatened to impose sanction on her in the future.

Sokoloff then ripped into Williams' family and said they were no good. Girl what? Sokoloff went on to discuss Williams' career and said, while she had a great one, she won't have it again and told her that her career was over and said:

It's done.

Sokoloff who has no experience in the entertainment industry, left many, including Williams baffled by her comments and hurt by what she said.

Last month, Sokoloff sent out an email to Williams' attorney chastising her for speaking to the press. She threatened to put more restrictions on her including moving Williams to another facility with more limitations than the one in which she currently resides.

The site claims Williams' personal attorney Joe Tacopina, will take on the guardianship case if it heads to a jury trial. Tacopina is the lawyer who helped rapper A.$.A.P. Rocky, Rihanna's boyfriend and the father of her children, beat his attempted murder charges

Full Article & Source:
Guardianship Judge to Wendy Williams on Career: "It's Done"

See Also:
Wendy Williams Originally Asked for a Guardianship, but Didn't 'Think Her Whole Life Would Be Taken Away' (Exclusive Source)