Family of disabled woman loses thousands in forged deed scam

The Kuwale Road property taken in forged deed scam

By Daryl Huff

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) - A Waianae family lost their disabled relative’s one-acre property to alleged title theft despite working with attorneys to gain legal guardianship and sell the home to pay for her care.

Betsy and her husband lived together on the Waianae property until he died and she became disabled from Alzheimer’s and dementia. The family rushed to sell the property to generate money for her care, but alleged title thieves acted first.

“The entire situation was tragic,” said attorney Summer Shelverton, who was helping the family members get guardianship in 2022 so they could sell the property and four-bedroom house.

Fraudulent transfer discovered after guardianship granted

The family hoped the property was worth more than $600,000, but accused title thief Eldon Simer moved quickly.

Within a month of the family gaining access to the property as conservators and guardians, they learned it was fraudulently transferred.

The title was clear on Aug. 1, 2022. Just 16 days later, Simer recorded a forged deed with the Bureau of Conveyances. When the family discovered the fraud in September, they filed a document hoping to block any sale. But 11 days later, Iron Wood Finance of Texas paid Simer $350,000 for the entire property.

“It was constantly a case of catch-up,” Shelverton said. “As soon as we learned the property was fraudulently conveyed, we’d go back and oh, it was now inappropriately sold.”

Police said fraud wasn’t criminal matter

The family had clear evidence. The notary said her seal was forged and she hadn’t witnessed the signatures. Within days they called police and were told it wasn’t a crime.

“They weren’t quite sure how to address and that their hands were tied,” Shelverton said.

The house mysteriously burned down a couple of months later.

“So to say that it was a shock, almost nothing was a shock at that point,” Shelverton said.

Simer was investigated by the attorney general’s office and indicted for insurance fraud for filing a $290,000 claim for the fire as well as multiple charges for title theft of the Waianae property and two others and is being held without bail.

State House consumer protection chair and attorney Scot Matayoshi said rightful owners on their own have little power to prevent a sale, even from a fraudulent owner.

“If someone wants to buy it, knowing that other action might be pending, people can still buy the property if they’d like,” Matayoshi said.

On its website, Iron Wood Finance offers “easy money” for real estate, says it accepts 90 percent of applicants and can finish deals in as little as 48 hours.

“I certainly think that these quick acting companies are allowing these crimes to be facilitated, but they’re doing it at their own risk too,” Matayoshi said.

The company did not respond to a request for comment.

Iron Wood defended its title and sold the property last year for $425,000. The family settled with the company, collecting far less money for Betsy’s care than they had hoped. 

Full Article & Source:
Family of disabled woman loses thousands in forged deed scam 

Winston-Salem woman saved by her service dog

Amber Laudicina had a seizure while at a Harris Teeter. Her service dog alerted the store manager, helping to save her life. 

Over half a million people need a service dog to go about their day. Amber Laudicina of Winston-Salem is one of them. 

She has a rare condition called dysautonomia and needs her trusted four-legged friend by her side. 

Source:
Winston-Salem woman saved by her service dog

Caregiver charged with exploitation of elderly, disabled woman

DELRAY BEACH, Fla. (CBS12) — A woman who was hired to assist a blind elderly woman allegedly exploited her instead.

Palm Beach County Sheriff's deputies arrested 68-year-old Sandi Granat on charges of exploitation of a disabled adult on Friday.

The Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office opened an investigation in August 2018 regarding a complaint from a woman who alleged her aunt's longtime bookkeeper/caregiver was stealing money from her aunt's accounts, according to an arrest report.

According to the report, Granat was a paid bookkeeper and caregiver for 98-year-old Adele Altman for 10 years. Altman is legally blind and required assistance with daily activities and so her family hired Granat to help with certain responsibilities two times a week and she was compensated on a weekly basis.

In 2017, the family noticed discrepancies in Altman's bank accounts, which were eventually traced back to Granat and prompted the family to fire her, according to the report. Altman also told investigators she wanted to press charges.

Investigators say Granat denied the exploitation charges during an interview and said that she had obtained permission from Altman and even had a signed letter from her saying she would give Granat money to help with financial problems she was facing because Granat was "family." During the interview, Granat insisted that Altman suffered from dementia and had trouble remembering things and would ask the same thing six or seven times, which was probably why Altman didn't recall the agreement or signing the letter saying that she would give Granat money.

During further investigation of the case, investigators did not find sufficient evidence to support Granat's claims of Altman suffering from dementia or memory loss, according to the arrest report.
Following the investigation and the contradiction of evidence and Granat's claims, investigators say there is probable cause to arrest Granat and charged her with exploitation of an elderly or disabled person.

Granat bonded out of jail on Saturday.

Full Article & Source:
Caregiver charged with exploitation of elderly, disabled woman

Remembering Anastasia Adams: Prevent Hospitals from Seeking Guardianship As Means 2 Override Patient Rights

Inova Fairfax Hospital CMO Scott Betzelos, MD January 28, 2017 Meeting

 

Petition Update click here

Dec 11, 2017 —It has been 23 days since my beloved and precious sister Anastasia was killed by Inova Fairfax Hospital and their designated guardians Anne Heishman and Kenneth Labowitz. I have been re-listening to various meetings and discussions with Inova physicians and others involved in her unnatural and untimely death.  I have been going over medical records and evidence sent to me by various individuals who did not agree with what Inova’s guardians were doing.  And since her death three words amongst other things have been prevalent in my mind… premeditated, homicide, and guilty.

During the January 28, 2017 meeting with Chief Medical Officer Scott Betzelos, MD, and Inova’s outside counsel Laurie Kirkland from Blankenship & Keith, PC, Inova was informed that I agreed with Anastasia’s discharge so why did Inova still pursue and take guardianship of Anastasia.  As you listen to the meeting with Scott Betzelos, MD, the discussion with Lindsey from Inova’s Palliative Care team, and read the records and notes written by Kelly Armstrong, PhD and the head of palliative care it brings certain things to light and bring the following questions to mind:

https://abductionofanastasia.files.wordpress.com/2017/12/cmo-betzelos-meeting-january-28-2017.mp3

“Pt is opioid naive” written by Mary Wheeler, NP, Inova Palliative Care Team. Naive: “not having previously been the subject of a scientific experiment, as an animal.”

Nurse Practitioner Mary Wheeler ordered increases in morphine when Anastasia came down with a hospital born infection or after the results from the pericardial effusion but decreased her morphine when she showed signs of improvement… why?

Definition of terms, we as a society work under specific definition of terms regarding social norms and morays. By inserting specific terms or language into medical charts it can and does completely change the intent and meaning. Perfect example is “irreversible” disease/condition and “terminal” disease/condition.

Do hospitals intentionally or subconsciously allow bad bedsores to justify palliative care and the ending of lives. Inova Palliative care social worker, Lindsay N. Teich, specifically stated when talking about ending life “if she had really bad wounds, maybe down to the bone, or was causing pain when you turn her” … this is almost verbatim what Labowitz claimed in his written communications. We were clear Anastasia was not going on palliative care, that we/she did not want or need to be on palliative care. Mary Wheeler, NP, pushed for comfort care.

Hospitals and nursing facilities get dinged by Medicare if patients return to the hospital within 10-30 days. So to prevent from getting dinged are hospitals and nursing facilities intentionally placing elder and disabled patients on palliative care?

How can an informed decision about discharge, a safe discharge, be made without all of the facts including if the receiving SNF is capable of providing or willing to provide all of the needed care?

Inova CMO Scott Betzelos, MD was aware discharge had been appealed to Medicare and also should have known that an appeal directly to Medicare in DC invalidates Kepro reconsideration decision.

Bottom line Inova Fairfax Hospital should not have discharged Anastasia when they did, should not have sought guardianship until after the Medicare decision was issued by the ALJ, and by doing both not only enabled and culpable in her death but also in my opinion are accessory’s to her murder.

In Fact Anastasia was discharged and sent to Dulles Health and Rehab without of all of her medications and the Lovenox was stopped right after she was admitted to DHR. If Lovenox was given by Inova as a prophylaxis and standard of care for bedridden patients and Anastasia was sent with that order why then did DHR discontinue the Lovenox?

In Fact Dulles Health and Rehab changed Anastasia’s regular nebulizer treatment to PRN. Envoy of Alexandria discontinued them entirely. They claim they were given but evidence shows they did not.

CMO Scott Betzelos states Yolanda needed to give the Inova “physicians the latitude and level of trust that they have and level of knowledge they have that they are not going to discharge somebody in an unstable condition.” Seriously??

CMO Scott Betzelos states “whatever treatment, therapy, or medication Anastasia needs we will make sure she will receive, be discharged with.” Anastasia was discharged and sent to DHR without all her needed medications. DHR tried but were unable to reach the guardians for 4 days to get authorization so they could get her medications.

I love you Anastasia and I miss you.

Your baby sister

Full Article & Source:
Remembering Anastasia Adams: Prevent Hospitals from Seeking Guardianship As Means 2 Override Patient Rights 

See Also:
Disabled woman denied food, water, and healthcare in a nursing home

Disabled woman denied food, water, and healthcare in a nursing home

ANNANDALE, Virginia, April 20, 2017 (LifeSiteNews) – A disabled Virginia woman who was being starved at a nursing home there is now getting food and water, but her family and attorneys are sounding the alarm because she is still at risk and not receiving adequate care.

Yolanda Bell, sister of Anastasia Adams, contacted Life Legal Defense Foundation (LLDF) on behalf of Adams.

Adams was denied treatment for a blood clot and had her guardianship filched away before she was then clandestinely taken to an undisclosed facility. After several questionable injuries in a short time there, Adams was moved back to the hospital and put into hospice care, where she had been denied nutrition. Treatment is still being withheld.

“The family is Catholic and Anastasia has communicated that she wants to live,” said LLDF Executive Director Alexandra Snyder. “Anastasia does not have a terminal disease — the hospital is simply refusing to treat her and instead wants to put her to death.” 

Snyder told LifeSiteNews that Adams is now receiving food and water, though only because more people were beginning to take note of the case. But in lieu of needed treatment, she’s only getting palliative care.

“This woman has family who loves her and wants to care for her,” said Snyder. “But they (hospital officials) have her on a death track.”

Adams was wheelchair bound after suffering a brain injury over 10 years ago, but she was able to speak and interact with family. Bell was the legal durable and healthcare power of attorney for over 12 years while Adams was in a nursing home. 

Several months ago, Adams developed a large blood clot while in INOVA Fair Oaks Hospital, Snyder explained. The hospital refused to treat her and ordered that Adams be discharged. 

When Bell refused to move her sister out of INOVA, the hospital took her to court and had its own guardians appointed to oversee Adams’ care. 

Snyder told LifeSiteNews, “The hospital said, ‘Instead of treating her, we’re just going to take you to court.’”

“It’s horrible,” she continued. “They don’t like her questioning their protocol. She just wanted her sister treated and released and home.” 

The guardians sent Adams to a nursing home without notifying the family, forcing Bell to have to track her down hours later because the nursing staff had been advised not to disclose any information. While in the nursing home, Adams suffered four injuries in two weeks, including a broken hip.

“To have two complete strangers come and just take her is just outrageous,” Snyder said. “They just dumped her in the facility.”

Bell has established a Change.org petition and Facebook page, where she’s telling her sister’s story. The petition is addressed to Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe and others. The objective is to prevent hospitals from seeking guardianship as a means to override patient rights.

“I am heartbroken beyond words,” Bell posted on Easter Sunday. “I fear for my sister’s life every minute of every day.”

“To have strangers come in and forcibly tear you from your loved ones, to abduct your person, because that is exactly what this is — an abduction — is terrifying for a person with a brain injury and other such patients,” Bell wrote in the petition. “It is terrifying for an incapacitated person who has relied heavily on and whose life, happiness and well-being has depended on a family member.”

She told of how she has watched her sister “whimper and cry out in fear since guardianship of her was awarded to Inova Fairfax Hospital appointed guardians.”

“I have had to watch the expression of fear on her face while being told lawyers would now be her guardians and that I no longer had control over where she lived, who would be caring for her, what medications she could or could not be given, or treatments she would or would receive,” Bell stated.

When Adams was transferred back to INOVA in March because of the broken hip, the guardians refused to authorize any treatment, said Snyder. Instead, they put her in hospice care at a Golden LivingCenter nursing facility in Annandale.

Snyder told LifeSiteNews that as a result of the court action before LLDF involvement, not only has the hospital seized power over Adams’ treatment decisions, Bell is not permitted to visit her sister. 

“Yolanda lost all contact,” Snyder stated.

"I miss my sister terribly,” said Bell. “I can only imagine what she is going through. She must think I have abandoned her. I have trouble sleeping. I close my eyes and see her being beaten and abused. I hear her crying out in pain begging me to help her." 

Adams now has a fever, Snyder told LifeSiteNews, but treatment is still being refused.

“Even though they’re not starving her, they’re just waiting for her to die,” said Snyder.

LLDF has release two videos, one taken prior to her being admitted to the hospital and the second taken at the nursing facility on April 8 showing Adams’ shocking decline.

LLDF is currently assisting the family in securing an attorney to recover Adams’ guardianship back to another sibling. 

“Tragically, we are seeing an exponential increase in cases where patients are intentionally starved to death because someone has determined that their lives no longer have value,” Snyder stated. 

“Anastasia was targeted for death simply because she is disabled. But she can speak, feel pain, and fully understands what is happening to her. She is being tortured to death by healthcare professionals who have it in their capacity to provide care and treatment.”

Full Article & Source:
Disabled woman denied food, water, and healthcare in a nursing home