Elkhart woman sentenced in guardianship fraud case

by Jon Zimney

An Elkhart woman has been sentenced to prison after admitting to fraud involving a disabled adult under her care.

 

Debra Collins pleaded guilty to one count of fraud after authorities found she improperly spent Social Security benefits belonging to the victim. Prosecutors say Collins transferred thousands of dollars from the victim’s account and used the money for personal expenses, including purchases at retail stores and online shopping.

 

Collins was sentenced to four-and-a-half years, with one year suspended. She will serve 18 months in prison, followed by home detention and probation. 

Full Article & Source:
Elkhart woman sentenced in guardianship fraud case 

Former Indiana caretaker found guilty in beating of disabled resident caught on video

by Nic Flosi

The Brief

• • A jury found a former Hammond caretaker guilty of multiple battery charges tied to a 2022 incident.
  • The case involved a disabled resident who suffered visible facial injuries.
  • Surveillance video played a key role in the conviction.

INDIANA - A former caretaker at a Hammond group home has been found guilty of battering a disabled resident during a 2022 incident, according to prosecutors.

Caretaker guilty in Hammond assault case

The backstory:  A jury convicted Juan Quintiones Joyce on several counts, including battery resulting in bodily injury to a disabled person, a Level 5 felony.

Juan Quintiones Joyce

The charges stem from an incident at an In-Pact group home in the 1700 block of 171st Street. Prosecutors said the victim, a 45-year-old resident, suffered visible facial injuries.

Dig deeper:  According to police reports, surveillance video captured the moments leading up to and during the attack. Investigators said the footage showed Joyce placing his hand on the resident’s back and guiding him from the kitchen to the living room while telling him to sit down.

Police said the resident returned to the kitchen moments later, sat down and grabbed a piece of paper from the table. Joyce then took the paper from him and told him to "get out of here before we wrestle."

The video shows Joyce asking the resident if he was ready to wrestle while moving a chair and the table away, police said.

Joyce is then heard saying, "get your a** up and let’s go." He walks toward the resident, swats at him with his hand and grabs him in an attempt to remove him from the kitchen.

A struggle ensues, and the resident falls to the floor. He then runs to the living room, where the confrontation continues. The video shows Joyce punching the resident multiple times in the face and torso after the resident grabbed Joyce’s shirt while pinned down with a padded kick-shield.

The altercation then ends. The video shows Joyce giving the resident a frozen item from the freezer to place on his face and later offering water.

Several minutes after the scuffle, investigators said Joyce was heard on the phone describing the victim’s swelling, saying, "He swelled up. He kinda swelled up, he f***ed himself up." He added, "I kinda had to elbow him to get him off of me and I kind of left a bruise on his face."

He then said, "Nah, he tried to bite my shirt and sh*t, you’ll see it."

Officers who responded days later reported seeing bruising under the victim’s eye and cheek. Photos were taken to document the injuries.

The victim, who has autism, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia and a history of self-injurious behavior, had lived in the group home for years, according to his legal guardian.

Joyce was fired from his job shortly after the incident was discovered.

What they're saying:  "This verdict reflects the commitment of our office and our law enforcement partners to protecting vulnerable members of our community and holding offenders accountable," Lake County Prosecutor Bernard Carter said in a statement.

What's next:  Joyce now faces sentencing, but it remains unclear when he is due back in court.

Full Article & Source:
Former Indiana caretaker found guilty in beating of disabled resident caught on video 

'Teach them a lesson': Woman left incapacitated family members covered in their own waste as 'punishment,' police say

by Jerry Lambe

A 51-year-old woman in Indiana is accused of forcing her elderly father and developmentally delayed brother to live in "overwhelming" squalor, allegedly leaving the victims covered in their own waste because she wanted to "teach them a lesson" about hygiene.

Kathryn Ann Payton, of Evansville, is charged with two counts of neglect of a dependent. Following her arrest and booking, Payton posted bond and has since been released from detention, court records show.

According to a probable cause affidavit obtained by Law&Crime, the harrowing conditions inside the apartment were only discovered after a pest control company attempted to conduct a routine quarterly treatment on May 1. When the technician encountered a resident who appeared unwell and was physically covered in waste, the apartment complex manager contacted police for a welfare check.

Upon arrival, responding officers encountered a scene described as "overwhelming to the point that it caused nausea." Inside the residence, police located Payton's father, a "medically frail" man suffering from cognitive decline, and her brother, who is developmentally delayed and suffers from multiple physical ailments.

Both men were reportedly found "covered in urine and feces" with clothing and bedding that was "extremely soiled." Investigators noted that feces — consistent with both human and animal waste — was found on the floors, on the furniture where the men sat, and even on a pillow where the father slept.

Medical personnel who arrived on the scene documented a severe lack of care that had persisted for an extended period. One of the men was found in a recliner with a "labored, hacking cough" and clothing soaked in waste "down to the knees," and he appeared to have remained in that state for several days. His oxygen levels were recorded at a dangerously low 87%.

The other man, located in a back bedroom, was unable to stand without assistance and was found with "open sores on his body" and a "rattling cough."

When questioned by authorities, Payton identified herself as the primary caregiver for both men. She initially claimed she did not know why they had not cleaned themselves and stated she had checked on them earlier in the day. However, her narrative reportedly shifted as she admitted she was fully aware of the unsanitary conditions and the fact that the men were living in their own waste.

Payton allegedly told investigators that because the two men would not clean themselves, she "showed them" by removing their television and Amazon Fire Stick so they could not watch TV. She further admitted to not helping in order to "teach them a lesson," according to statements provided by emergency medical technicians included in the affidavit.

The neglect reportedly extended to their basic medical needs as well. Despite the rattling cough and weakened state of her brother, Payton allegedly told police that he had been sick for approximately a week but had not been taken to a doctor. She reportedly told investigators that if he chose not to go to a physician, "he would just sit with it."

The investigation also apparently revealed a stark disparity in living conditions. While Payton's father and brother were confined to the filth of the apartment, authorities discovered that Payton was residing in a separate home in the 600 block of Kingswood Drive —a residence actually owned by her father. The apartment manager also informed police they were unaware the brother was even residing in the Lincoln Avenue unit.

Based on the observations at the scene, investigators determined that both men lacked the "mental or physical ability to care for themselves," rendering Payton's "punishment" of the cognitively impaired men both ineffective and dangerous. The affidavit concludes that Payton "knowingly allowed both individuals to remain in a condition where they were covered in feces and urine for an extended period of time," creating an "imminent danger to their life and well-being."

Both victims were transported to Deaconess Gateway Hospital for emergency medical treatment and stabilization. Doctors subsequently admitted both men for further care due to their "medically compromised" states.

Payton's next court appearance has not yet been finalized. The investigation into the extent of the neglect remains ongoing. 

Full Article & Source:
'Teach them a lesson': Woman left incapacitated family members covered in their own waste as 'punishment,' police say 

Bookkeeper for Nonprofit Sentenced to Federal Prison for Stealing More Than $79,000 from Incapacitated Senior Citizens

Press Release — April 28, 2026

For nearly a year, Walters carried out a scheme to defraud mentally incapacitated elderly adults by stealing money from their personal bank accounts for her own benefit.

---

INDIANAPOLIS – Brenda Denise Walters, 57, of Nappanee, Indiana, has been sentenced to 22 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, after pleading guilty to ten counts of wire fraud.

According to court documents, in August 2023, Walters was hired by Organization A, a nonprofit that provides programs and services for elderly adults, to serve as a part-time bookkeeper for its Guardianship Program.

The Guardianship Program acts as a court‑appointed legal guardian for incapacitated adults and is responsible for managing the finances of individuals who are unable to manage their own affairs. As bookkeeper, Walters oversaw the financial accounts of approximately twenty‑three program clients. Her duties included taking control of client accounts, paying their bills, and responsibly managing their funds.

For nearly a year, Walters carried out a scheme to defraud mentally incapacitated elderly adults by stealing money from their personal bank accounts for her own benefit.

As part of the scheme, Walters transferred funds from client accounts into bank and credit card accounts she controlled, or used client accounts to pay her personal expenses, including paying her electric and insurance bills, buying clothes, hosting parties, and taking expensive vacations to New York City, Florida, and Pigeon Forge.

To conceal her theft, Walters created falsified bank statements that hid transfers to her personal accounts and fabricated documents to support fraudulent charges. In one instance, she created a fake United Healthcare bill for a client to disguise a transfer she made to her Apple Card. In another, she wrote a check from a client’s account to her mother, falsely labeling it “plumbing,” then deposited the funds into an account she controlled and altered the bank statement to remove evidence of the check entirely.

In total, Walters stole approximately $79,000 from at least six Guardianship Program clients.

“Brenda Walters preyed exclusively on some of the most vulnerable members of our society—elderly Hoosiers who could no longer manage their own finances and entrusted her to safeguard their life savings,” said Tom Wheeler, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “Her conduct was not a momentary lapse in judgment but a calculated scheme to enrich herself at the expense of people who had no ability to defend themselves. This office will continue to pursue justice for victims who are targeted because of their age, incapacity, or dependence on others.”

Photo by Emiliano Bar on Unsplash

“Financial exploitation of vulnerable seniors is deeply reprehensible, and this case underscores the importance of vigilance and accountability – particularly when the offender is in a position of trust,” said FBI Indianapolis Special Agent in Charge Timothy J. O’Malley. “The FBI remains committed to identifying and prosecuting those who exploit that trust for personal gain, and ensuring they are held fully accountable.”

FBI Indianapolis’ Financial Crimes Task Force in collaboration with the Carmel Police Department investigated this case. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Court Chief Judge James R. Sweeney II.

U.S. Attorney Wheeler thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam Eakman, who prosecuted this case.

Reporting from consumers about fraud and fraud attempts is critical to law enforcement’s efforts to investigate and prosecute schemes targeting older adults. If you or someone you know is aged 60 or older and has been a victim of financial fraud, help is available from the National Elder Fraud Hotline: 1-833 FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311). The hotline is staffed seven days a week from 6:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. [ET]. English, Spanish, and other languages are available. More information about the Department’s elder justice efforts can be found on the Department’s Elder Justice website.

Full Article & Source:
Bookkeeper for Nonprofit Sentenced to Federal Prison for Stealing More Than $79,000 from Incapacitated Senior Citizens 

See Also:
Former Hamilton County nonprofit bookkeeper to see prison time for stealing $79K 

Nonprofit bookkeeper who stole $79,000 from senior citizen clients gets 22 months in prison

Nonprofit bookkeeper who stole $79,000 from senior citizen clients gets 22 months in prison

by: Joe Schroeder

(WXIN/WTTV) — A former bookkeeper at an Indiana nonprofit will spend over a year behind bars after pleading guilty to stealing $79,000 from incapacitated senior citizens’ bank accounts.

Brenda Denise Walters, 57, of Nappanee, was sentenced this week to 22 months in federal prison and three years of supervised release. This comes after she pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court to 10 counts of wire fraud.

Court documents detail how Walters was hired in Aug. 2023 as a bookkeeper for Organization A, a local nonprofit. Walters was reportedly in charge of the Guardianship Program, which provides court-appointed legal guardians for incapacitated older adults and manages their finances.

In her part-time role, Walters oversaw the bank accounts of over 20 program clients and was responsible for paying bills and managing investments. Investigators found that, for nearly a year, the bookkeeper instead defrauded her “mentally incapacitated elderly adult clients.”

Walters reportedly stole money from the victims’ bank accounts for her own personal benefit, using the money to pay her utility bills, buy clothes, host parties and take expensive vacations to New York, Florida and Pigeon Forge. 

To conceal the theft, Walters then falsified bank statements and hid transfers to her personal accounts. Documents detail how she created a fake United Healthcare bill for a client to disguise a transfer to her Apple Card. Another time, she falsely labeled a check as being for “plumbing.”

In total, Walters stole over $79,000 from at least six clients of the Guardianship Program. Tom Wheeler, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana, said she “preyed exclusively on some of the most vulnerable members of society.”

“Her conduct was not a momentary lapse in judgment but a calculated scheme to enrich herself at the expense of people who had no ability to defend themselves,” Wheeler said. “This office will continue to pursue justice for victims who are targeted because of their age, incapacity, or dependence on others.”

After pleading guilty earlier this week to 10 counts of federal wire fraud, Walters was sentenced by U.S. District Court Chief Judge James R. Sweeney II to 22 months in prison. Upon release, she will serve three years of probation.

No mugshot or booking photo of Walters was made publicly available. 

Full Article & Source:
Nonprofit bookkeeper who stole $79,000 from senior citizen clients gets 22 months in prison 

Former Hamilton County nonprofit bookkeeper to see prison time for stealing $79K

by Cameron Shaw 

A former Hamilton County nonprofit bookkeeper is set to serve 22 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to defrauding several of the organization’s incapacitated senior citizen clients of more than $79,000, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Indiana announced Wednesday.

District Court Chief James Sweeney II imposed the sentence on Brenda Walters, 57, of Nappanee, Indiana, after she pleaded guilty to 10 counts of wire fraud. Sweeney also ordered Walters to forfeit $79,272, roughly the amount she pleaded guilty to stealing from the individuals. Following her prison time, Walters will have three years of supervised release.

According to court documents, an unidentified Hamilton County nonprofit organization that provides programs and services for elderly adults hired Walters as a part-time bookkeeper around August 2023.

Walters managed the financial accounts of about 23 clients in the organization’s guardianship program, which, according to the government’s May 1, 2025, indictment against Walters, acts as a court-appointed legal guardian for incapacitated adults and manages the finances of those adults who are unable.

Walters specifically handled taking over clients’ financial accounts to pay bills and manage their money.

According to the indictment, for about a year from August 2023 to August 2024, Walters devised and executed a scheme to defraud her clients.

The indictment states that Walters transferred funds from the clients’ Horizon Bank accounts to her personal American Express, Capital One and other accounts.

Walters used the clients’ funds to pay her own expenses, including her electric and insurance bills, buying clothes, hosting parties and vacationing to places such as New York City, Florida and Pigeon Forge, Tennessee.

The government stated that, to hide the theft, Walters submitted false bank statements to her supervisors. Those statements did not show Walters’s personal transfers.

In one instance, Walters created a United Healthcare medical bill supposedly showing that a client had paid the same amount for which Walters had actually transferred to a personal Apple Card, according to the indictment.

In total, Walters stole about $79,000 from at least six of the guardianship program’s clients.

“Brenda Walters preyed exclusively on some of the most vulnerable members of our society—elderly Hoosiers who could no longer manage their own finances and entrusted her to safeguard their life savings,” said Tom Wheeler, U.S. attorney for the Southern District of Indiana, in the Wednesday press release. “Her conduct was not a momentary lapse in judgment but a calculated scheme to enrich herself at the expense of people who had no ability to defend themselves. This office will continue to pursue justice for victims who are targeted because of their age, incapacity, or dependence on others.”

According to her December petition to enter a plea of guilty, Walters originally faced a maximum statutory punishment of 20 years’ imprisonment and a fine of up to $250,000.

The case is United States of America v. Brenda Walters (1:25-cr-00098)

Full Article & Source:
Former Hamilton County nonprofit bookkeeper to see prison time for stealing $79K

Floyd circuit judge to join statewide task force to revise codes for guardianship cases

Indiana's Guardianship Code Revision Task Force will seek to ensure guardianship cases are as easy as possible to navigate.

by Norman Seawright

NEW ALBANY, Ind. —  Indiana’s governor is creating a new task force to revise the state’s codes for cases involving court-appointed guardians for children and adults.

A southern Indiana judge has been chosen for the job, and Floyd Circuit Court Judge Justin Brown said the work is personal.

“My mother has been, you know, she got diagnosed with dementia at 55. So she's been under that, and it's progressed Alzheimer's. So she's one of those people that's in a situation that I would be there to try to help the family with,” Brown said.

Brown said guardianship cases can be traumatic and intimidating to navigate.

“Guardianship cases are inherently traumatic for a lot of people. I mean, think about—you're taking away someone's fundamental right to govern themselves, their own body, because they lack the ability, whether it be from mental condition, from infirmity or from age, when you're talking about a child,” Brown said.

Katie Morgan, executive director of Vulnerable Adult Care Advocates, said a statewide approach is needed.

“I am thrilled to see that we are going to have a statewide task force because uniformity is definitely needed,” Morgan said. “I think it's going to help us, and it will help more of the state be more mission-driven toward guardianship and making sure that people are cared for."

Lauren Broderick, executive director of Court Appointed Special Advocates, said the work matters for children, too.

“The state is recognizing some of the gaps or things that need to be improved upon, or streamlining services for children who have open child welfare cases. And addressing guardianship is all part of that,” Broderick said.

Brown said he wants the process to be less intimidating and ultimately better-suited to serving Hoosiers.

“If you can take away some of that trauma from them, it makes them it makes people more likely to step up to say, 'hey, I've got you,'” Brown said.

The task force was created by a bill Gov. Mike Braun signed into law in March. It passed with bipartisan support in both chambers.

Brown’s term begins in July and runs through December 2027. 

Full Article & Source:
Floyd circuit judge to join statewide task force to revise codes for guardianship cases 

Local woman who had power of attorney for 93-year-old pleads guilty to financial exploitation

By Christopher Dacanay 

A local woman has pleaded guilty to financially exploiting an elderly person.

Indiana County District Attorney Robert Manzi says Kathy Sue Twigg, 65, of Brush Valley, entered a guilty plea for financial exploitation of an older adult or care-dependent person, as well as theft by failure to make required disposition of funds and misapplication of entrusted funds.

Indiana County detectives received a report that the victim — a 93-year-old, care-dependent woman — was removed from her nursing home for failing to make payments.

Full Article & Source:
Local woman who had power of attorney for 93-year-old pleads guilty to financial exploitation

Court docs: Indy home health worker had videos showing sex abuse of nonverbal patients

by Ryan Murphy

An Indianapolis home health assistant was arrested after a child pornography investigation uncovered evidence of sexual abuse against non-verbal adult patients.

The Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department began investigating Jason Burkley, 38, after Google tipped off the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children on Oct. 1.

Investigators found hundreds of files of child sex abuse material on a Google account connected to Burkley, according to court documents. Detectives said the investigation also uncovered videos of extreme sex acts with two "severely autistic, non-verbal adults for whom (Burkley) is employed to be the night-shift home health caregiver."

Burkley is not registered as a home health aide through the state's health department, according to a public database.

He told police he works for a company called "Caregivers." Court documents provided no other details about the company. IndyStar found two businesses providing home health services with similar names. When reached for comment, a representative for Indianapolis-based Caregivers, Inc. said that Burkley had never worked for the company. A separate company, Caregiver, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

A video of an extreme sex act was playing on Burkley's living room TV when he opened the door to police on Oct. 21, according to investigators. A timestamp on the video indicated that it had been recorded earlier that day.

A 9mm pistol and "suspected methamphetamine" were in plain view during the raid, detectives wrote.

In a custodial interview, Burkley told investigators he's provided home health services to two disabled men for several years. He "stated that he knew that neither of the men could consent (to sex) due to their mental disabilities."

He blamed methamphetamine for his actions, according to court documents.

A detective who interacted with the abused patients described them as "profoundly intellectually disabled." Both require constant supervision and assistance with tasks of daily living, like eating, police wrote.

Burkley faces two preliminary counts of raping a mentally disabled person and nine preliminary counts of possession of child sex abuse material. Final charging decisions will be made by the Marion County Prosecutor's Office. 

Full Article & Source:
Court docs: Indy home health worker had videos showing sex abuse of nonverbal patients 

'Tyrant' Indiana judge asked to resign, banned for life after alleged unfair treatment

by WKRC

INDIANAPOLIS (WKRC) — A "tyrant" judge from the State of Indiana was asked to resign and permanently banned from the Indiana judicial system after alleged unfair treatment of defendants.

According to court documents, the Indiana Supreme Court has ruled that Judge Matthew J. Elkin of the Howard Superior Court engaged in judicial misconduct, leading to his resignation and a permanent ban from judicial service. 

The court found that Elkin failed to disqualify himself from cases involving former clients, made inappropriate comments to problem-solving court participants and showed favoritism towards certain litigants while degrading others.

Elkin, who began his tenure as a judge in January 2023, was previously a public defender and had represented participants in Howard County's Drug Court and Re-Entry Court. Despite this, he presided over at least eleven cases involving former clients without disqualifying himself until the Indiana Commission on Judicial Qualifications initiated an inquiry.

The court's findings detailed several instances of misconduct, including a tactic Elkin called "Game or Jail," where he threatened participants with jail time based on the actions of others.

In one instance, he told a domestic violence survivor, "If I smack the sh*t out of you right now, what chemicals get dumped in your brain? The exact same chemicals he experiences when he wins the Super Bowl" when speaking on why "women don't leave" abusive relationships.

• The following is what Elkin said during a hearing with the domestic violence survivor, according to the Indiana Supreme Court:

"Do you know who Tom Brady is? How many Super Bowls? Seven Super Bowls he’s won. When Tom Brady wins a Super Bowl, his brain is filled with all kinds of neurochemicals."

"All right? And he gets to scream, you know, I’m going to Disney World ... Now, I know he’s not married, he’s not in a relationship anymore, but what he used to be able to do is he got two big brain rushes because he got to go I won the Super Bowl and then the next thought is I get to f*ck the super model. Okay?“

"If I smack the sh*t out of you right now, what chemicals get dumped in your brain? The exact same chemicals he experiences when he wins the Super Bowl. Did you know that? So the whole thing is every time I beat you up or you beat me up, we won the Super Bowl"

"So if I smack you in the head and you feel the exact same way so you can enjoy the relationship. That’s what happens."

“That’s the truth. That’s why women don’t leave. It gets worse. He experiences it once because he won the Super Bowl. You can cause yourself to experience that emotion at least two more times after you’ve been hit. One is if you feel guilty about having had your a*s licked, the exact same chemicals dump into your brain. You feel real shame over it. Then if you get angry over the fact that this person did it to you, it happens a third time. Here’s the deal, I can train an entire lifetime for one shot at winning the Super Bowl and experiencing that elation, or I can have somebody kick my a*s and I can do it three times. Which is easier?“

"You don’t deserve this chance. You don’t deserve it. ... I know what’s wrong with you and I know how to fix you.“

"You’re not even my property yet. Do you know that you’re the Department of Correction’s property for 98 days, right? No, six months. Right?"

• Other incidents, according to the Indiana Supreme Court

Elkin was also accused of providing preferential treatment to some participants, such as offering housing through his wife's rental property and allowing participants to use his personal vehicle. Additionally, he was found to have inadequately supervised employees and possibly misused court funds, per the documents.

Officials said "a presiding judge's demeanor has an outsized impact" on problem-solving court participants because of the way courts are structured, adding that Elkin understood that, but still "wielded his position of power like a tyrant," per WXIN.

Elkin was accused of breaking eight judicial rules, including the following, according to the outlet:

• Acting in a way that promotes public confidence in the judicial system

• No presiding over cases that you have a personal or extrajudicial connection to

• Uphold and apply the law and perform all duties fairly and impartially

• Requiring order and decorum during court proceedings

The Indiana Commission on Judicial Qualifications filed a "Notice of the Institution of Formal Proceedings and Statement of Charges" against Elkin, leading to a joint agreement for his resignation and permanent ban from judicial service.

The Commission has agreed to discontinue further investigations following Elkin's agreement to repay any unauthorized funds.

According to WXIN, the Indiana Supreme Court ruled that Elkin must leave his office no later than September 30. He will retain his law license, however, per the outlet. 

Full Article & Source:
'Tyrant' Indiana judge asked to resign, banned for life after alleged unfair treatment 

Police: Man stole nearly $1 million from his grandmother in Indiana nursing home

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Indiana State Police said a man stole nearly $1 million from his grandmother while she lived in an assisted living facility in southern Indiana.

In a news release Thursday, ISP said Eric Dyer, a 54-year-old man from Batesburg, South Carolina, was named power of attorney over his grandmother in 2021 as she lives in a facility in Madison, Indiana. In May 2024, a bank reported "suspicious transactions" to police.

A review of bank records between 2022-24 showed Dyer withdrew nearly $1 million from his grandmother's bank accounts for his personal use and was also behind in paying her balance at the assisted living facility.

ISP arrested Dyer on Thursday at a hotel in Madison. He's charged with theft, money laundering, corrupt business influence, neglect of a dependent and elder abuse. 

Full Article & Source:
Police: Man stole nearly $1 million from his grandmother in Indiana nursing home 

Indiana county POA charged with financial exploitation of an elderly woman

Source:
Indiana county POA charged with financial exploitation of an elderly woman 

IndyStar's yearslong investigation reveals extent of Indiana nursing home scheme

by Eric Larsen, Indianapolis Star

IndyStar investigation reveals billions diverted from Indiana nursing homes

State inspection report, Aperion Care Arbors Michigan City, May 20, 2019.

Just what is essential and exclusive local journalism, you ask? IndyStar investigative reporter Tony Cook has been delivering it for years.

Cook's latest reporting is a continuation of a 2020 investigation into Indiana county hospitals diverting Medicaid funds meant for the nursing homes they operate. That scheme has allowed the hospitals to to pad their bottom lines and pay for construction and other projects unrelated to nursing home care at a time when nursing home staffing in Indiana is among the worst in the nation.

Cook's reporting published this week uses data that was partially obtained through a public records lawsuit filed by IndyStar in 2022 to show, as he wrote, that "County-owned hospitals in Indiana have diverted away more than $2.5 billion in Medicaid money intended to provide care at nursing homes, leaving sick and elderly residents to languish in some of the most poorly staffed facilities in America."

A companion piece published Thursday shows that despite efforts to slash federal spending in President Donald Trump's second term, there's little appetite so far to address this scheme that's impacting the care of Indiana's most vulnerable residents.

Cook's dogged reporting is emblematic of IndyStar's commitment to watchdog and accountability journalism. Our investigative and expanded government accountability teams have worked independently and in collaboration to bring readers revelatory reporting about how decisions by Indiana's most powerful organizations impact our daily lives.

Full Article & Source:
IndyStar's yearslong investigation reveals extent of Indiana nursing home scheme

Court: Indiana Guardianship Oversight Task Force established

by: Cooper Hudson

INDIANAPOLIS — The Indiana Supreme Court established a new task force on Friday that works to protect seniors and adults with disabilities across the state.

According to the court, the Indiana Guardianship Oversight Task Force will work to:

• Research guardianship best practices and new programming methods, both of which affect oversight.
• Find possible strategies and resources that can help improve pre-existing guardianship oversight within the state’s justice system.
• Recommend new strategies to improve adult guardianship functions. Per court documents, this could include greater communication and technology use in order to manage Indiana’s guardianship system.
• Examine how reform efforts can impact Indiana’s justice system.
• Create improvements that lead to better outcomes for everyone involved. For example, the Indiana Supreme Court policies, procedures and pilot programming as topics that could be boosted.
• Give a final report to the Indiana Supreme Court no later than Dec. 1, 2025. This report will detail the findings and suggestions for improvement to Indiana’s guardianship system.

The Indiana Supreme Court added that the Guardianship Oversight Task Force is necessary due to a rising number of Hoosiers needing guardianship services each year.

They plan to create “…a system that is easy to navigate and ensures justice is fairly administered.” Specifically, the court called an improved system under the task force “…both crucial and timely.”

Full Article & Source:
Court: Indiana Guardianship Oversight Task Force established

Local nonprofit helps maintain 101-year-old woman's home | Inspiring Indiana

At 101 years old, Ernestine Pinner is one of Indiana's few centenarians. 

She's lived in her home on the near north side of Indianapolis in the historic Martindale–Brightwood neighborhood for 65 years. 

Her daughter, Karen Turner, said Pinner refuses to move out even though she can no longer afford the home repairs and upkeep. 

"I just do what I can to make her comfortable," Turner said. 

But after storms damaged the aging house, Turner says she found Home Repairs for Good in 2021. 

"I was at wits end after I contacted the insurance company and was unable to get any help. Then, they were able to come in and help out," Turner said. 

Source:
Local nonprofit helps maintain 101-year-old woman's home | Inspiring Indiana

Former Correctional Officers Sentenced to Three Years in Federal Prison for Using Inmates’ Stolen Identities in International Fraud Scheme

For Immediate Release

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.

###

Updated October 23, 2024

Source:
Former Correctional Officers Sentenced to Three Years in Federal Prison for Using Inmates’ Stolen Identities in International Fraud Scheme

Court docs: Indy caretaker beat disabled man with flashlight

by: Matt Christy

INDIANAPOLIS — An Indianapolis caretaker is under arrest after coworkers accused him of beating an autistic, non-verbal man with a flashlight.

Williams Brooks Jr., 85, is charged with one count of battery resulting in bodily injury to a disabled person, a Level 5 felony.

William Brooks Jr. (Johnson Co. Jail)

According to court documents, Greenwood police were notified of the abuse on July 5 by employees of Community Integration Support Services. The coworkers reportedly filmed part of the abuse.

A police officer reported viewing the footage and said it showed Brooks striking the victim with a closed fist multiple times in the chest and abdomen area.

The witnesses said the abuse continued beyond what was shown in the video and included Brooks striking the victim with a flashlight. Photographs of the victim’s injuries were shown to police and included the victim having several bloody cuts on his lips.

Police spoke to Brooks who reportedly denied striking the victim. He claimed he sometimes had to “push” the victim in order to make him lie down. He also claimed he put a flashlight to the victim’s head “to let him feel the flashlight,” but denied hitting the victim with it.

Brooks was taken into custody and transported to the Johnson County Jail.

If convicted, he faces up to six years in prison.

Community Integration Support Services said Brooks was terminated the same day his co-workers reported his abuse. The company and its employees are cooperating with police investigators and providing support services to the victim, his family and staff members.

“We are deeply saddened and disturbed to receive a report of abuse against a consumer of our services. The safety and wellbeing of those in our care is our highest priority. Community Integration Support Services have a zero-tolerance policy toward any form of abuse or mistreatment.

 Steven Phillips, owner/president of Community Integration Support Services

Community Integration Support Services said it will conduct an internal review of policies, procedures and staff training to determine how this incident occurred and to prevent any other incidents like this from happening again. 

“We extend our sincerest apologies to the victim, the family, our staff and our community. We understand the trust placed in us and take our responsibility extremely seriously. We are dedicated to regaining that trust through our actions going forward,” Phillips said.  

Full Article & Source:
Court docs: Indy caretaker beat disabled man with flashlight

Attend this free elder fraud workshop in Westfield on June 10 I What's the Deal?

Scams targeting people 60 and up caused over $3.4 billion in losses in 2023.

Source:
Attend this free elder fraud workshop in Westfield on June 10 I What's the Deal?

HVAF: Community support required to address veteran housing insecurity, mental health

by Violet Comber-Wilen

Veterans across Indiana face challenges with mental health, food and housing insecurity. One organization offers resources and solutions to help address these issues.

Emmy Hildebrand is the CEO of Helping Veterans and Families of Indiana, an organization serving veterans throughout central Indiana. She said veterans are much more likely to experience homelessness than non-veterans.

Hildebrand said HVAF has a street outreach program, where a veteran who experienced housing insecurity goes out to speak with veterans currently experiencing homelessness.

“He goes out to various shelters, homeless camps and other places where those individuals experiencing homelessness may be – just to start to make a relationship, to build trust, share the services that we provide, and invite veterans to come in and receive those services,” she said.

Additionally, Hildebrand said the organization offers permanent supportive housing.

“We also provide 103 transitional housing beds each night. So it's temporary housing: veterans can stay usually for six to nine months,” Hildebrand said. “They work with a case manager to address all their barriers to self-sufficiency, with the goal of moving into permanent housing once they leave here. We also have a really large rental assistance program.”

She said her organization also offers a food pantry to combat food insecurity and high inflation prices. Hilderbrand said the organization also offers a therapist, as many veterans experience mental health challenges.

“What we realized is 80 percent of the veterans we serve report a mental health diagnosis and or a substance use problem,” she said. “So we know this is a huge issue for veterans and especially the veterans that we're serving.”

Hilderbrand said combating these challenges requires community help from all areas.

“What we've seen in communities around the country that have ended veteran homelessness is it takes all of us to do that,” she said. “We believe here at HVAF that no hero should be homeless on our streets.”

Hildebrand said changes in funding for these types of programs also complicate these issues.

“With the end of the public health emergency in May, a lot of that funding has gone away,” she said. “So, 2020 and 2021 were turbulent, but I would say 2023 is turbulent in its own right. We’re trying to figure out how to continue to provide high-quality services, still in an era of COVID.”

Hildebrand said the organization is looking to expand its sources of funding to “better support its most vulnerable veterans.” Additionally, she said Hoosiers can help support veterans and HVAF through donations and volunteering their time.

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HVAF: Community support required to address veteran housing insecurity, mental health

AARP Indiana Helps Preserve Protections for Adults Under Guardianship

By Natalie Missakian

En español | We applaud Indiana lawmakers for listening to our call to safeguard funding for adult guardianship programs in the state’s recently approved two-year budget.

“During a budget session, it’s a constant battle over where the state’s funding should be directed,” said AARP Indiana Legislative Director Ambre Marr. “While guardianship may only impact a small number of Hoosiers, these programs are there for some of our state’s most vulnerable citizens and it’s important that the funding was protected.”

AARP Indiana met with lawmakers during the session to stress the importance of protecting older adults who are unable to manage their own affairs and must rely on guardians to make decisions about their welfare.

Thanks in part to our advocacy, lawmakers agreed to preserve nearly $2 million in funding, saving a program that pairs volunteer advocates with seniors under court-appointed guardianship as well as a registry that tracks guardianship cases statewide, among other services.

AARP has long advocated for updated guardianship laws and safeguards to reduce the potential for abuse and conflicts of interest with these arrangements, and we’ve helped deliver reforms in states across the country. In Virginia and Florida, we helped pass laws to strengthen court oversight, and we helped pass a law in Alabama this year offering a less restrictive alternative.

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AARP Indiana Helps Preserve Protections for Adults Under Guardianship