Saturday, November 10, 2012
YouTube: Help Save Rosyln Green; Victim of Guardian Abuse
On June 23, 2011, my 89 year old mother, Roslyn Green, was literally dragged from her bed by Self Help Community Services, her State appointed guardian, with nothing but the clothes on her back. She was taken to a nursing home where she's been held in isolation ever since, cut off from all contact with her friends, family and everything and everyone she loves and holds dear. I haven't seen since that day and I fear I may never see her alive again.
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YouTube: Help Save Rosyln Green; Victim of Guardian Abuse
Former GA and AL Lawyer Pleads Guilty to Identity Fraud and Forgery
A former local attorney accused of forging legal papers and stealing another lawyer's identity pleaded guilty Wednesday to the accusations in Muscogee County Superior Court, authorities said.
Elliott J. Vogt, 34, pleaded guilty to four counts of theft by conversion, two counts of first-degree forgery and one count of identity fraud. Judge John Allen sentenced Vogt to a year in the Muscogee County Prison, followed by nine years' probation, Assistant District Attorney Doug Breault said.
"He had people pay him fees to do domestic relations work, and he didn't do any of the work," Breault said. "It caused great suffering to the parties involved. He also pretended to be a lawyer."
Vogt has paid some $25,000 in restitution in the Muscogee County case, Breault said. Vogt also was ordered to pay an additional $15,000 to a victim who incurred attorney's fees because of his actions.
Full Article and Source:
Former Local Lawyer Pleads Guilty to Identity Fraud and Forgery
"He had people pay him fees to do domestic relations work, and he didn't do any of the work," Breault said. "It caused great suffering to the parties involved. He also pretended to be a lawyer."
Vogt has paid some $25,000 in restitution in the Muscogee County case, Breault said. Vogt also was ordered to pay an additional $15,000 to a victim who incurred attorney's fees because of his actions.
Full Article and Source:
Former Local Lawyer Pleads Guilty to Identity Fraud and Forgery
Abbot Labs to Pay $1.5 Bil in Settlement
The attorney general’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit (MFCU) was the lead investigative agency in the case, partnering with the prosecutors and civil attorneys from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Virginia. This was the largest Medicaid fraud recovery in U.S. history resulting from a state-led investigation, with the Virginia MFCU spending more than four years on the investigation, traveling to 26 states to conduct interviews and sifting through more than one million records looking for evidence.
When it pled guilty in May, Abbott agreed to pay $1.5 billion to resolve its criminal and civil liability pertaining to government health care programs that were defrauded based on reimbursements paid for Depakote due to Abbott’s illegal marketing practices. The settlement that was approved today includes a criminal fine and forfeiture totaling $700 million and civil settlements with the federal government and the states totaling $800 million.
The civil settlement includes $270 million for the federal government’s share of the Medicaid program; $239 million for the states’ share of the Medicaid program; and $291 million for Medicare and other federal programs. Abbott will also pay a $500 million fine to the federal government, $198.5 million in criminal asset forfeiture penalties, and $1.5 million to Virginia MFCU to cover investigative costs. Virginia’s share of the Medicaid civil settlement is $4.2 million.
Abbott must also agree to the terms of a Corporate Integrity Agreement with the Office of the Inspector General for the Department of Health and Human Services.
Full Article and Source:
Abbot Labs to Pay $1.5 Billion in Virginia Led Case
See Also:
Abbot Labratories to Pay $1 bil Over Misbranding Drug
Friday, November 9, 2012
Taxpayer-Funded Lawyer to be Appointed for Jeffrey Schend in Theft Case
An attorney for the state Public Defender’s office said Jeffrey M. Schend, 45, met the agency’s guidelines and was approved to receive public representation.
Schend is charged in Outagamie County with 15 felony theft counts and 12 misdemeanor counts of falsifying accounting records.
Jon Padgham, attorney manager for the Public Defender’s Appleton office, said the 18-month-old case will be scheduled for trial once a lawyer is appointed.
Dist. Atty. Carrie Schneider said efforts would be made to have Schend’s current attorney, Michael Petersen, appointed through the public defender office in effort to keep the case moving.
To qualify for public representation, a defendant must meet predetermined financial guidelines. The process takes into account an applicant’s income and assets, spousal income, family size and the type of case.
Guardians are appointed by courts to oversee assets when it is determined that individuals are unable to manage their finances. The investigation of Schend began after Outagamie County officials received complaints in late 2010 that bills weren’t being paid.
Full Article and Source:
Ex-Guardian to be Represented by Public Defender
See Also:
Accused Former Guardian Jeffrey Schend Tries to Replace Judge
Accused Georgia Probate Judge, Shirley Wise, Still on Bench
Probate Judge Martin Gillette said this week he has no intention of suspending Wise until the Judicial Qualifications Commission's (JQC) investigation is complete. The JQC accused Wise on Oct. 19 of multiple ethics charges, including receiving kickbacks, ordering a county employee to forge Gillette's signature, pre-signing marriage licenses and refusing to perform weddings she is sworn to officiate, instead referring the parties to local private wedding companies.
"We don't send people to prison unless they are convicted of something," Gillette said. "This is the same theory."
Gillette, who will retire as probate judge in January and is slated to be replaced by Wise, declined to comment when asked about the possibility that illegal activity could be occurring in his office.
Gillette also said he does not believe the charges against Wise are true.
"This is all a bunch of crap as far as I'm concerned," he said, noting his knowledge of the situation is limited. "You don't treat people that way unless they are found guilty of something, would be my policy."
No judge has ever successfully defended themselves against JQC charges, according to records found on the commission's website, www.gajqc.com. Gillette also declined to comment on whether that fact changed how he perceives the situation."
Full Article and Source:
Accused Probate Judge Still on Bench
Thursday, November 8, 2012
Repost: ABC7 Investigates the Santa Clara County Public Guardian
Note: We felt ABC did such a great job investigating the Santa Clara County Public Guardian, we wanted to post those excellent reports again:
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Santa Clara County Public Guardian Under Fire for Isolating Elderly
Source:
I-Team Investigates Santa Clara County Public Guardian
SPECIAL THANKS AND APPRECIATION TO NASGA CALIFORNIA ADVOCACY LIAISON, LINDA KINCAID AND REPORTER DAN NOYES!
Dan Noyes is the chief investigative reporter for the ABC7 News I-Team. Dan joined the station in May 1994, bringing to local news 13 years of experience in network news and nationally syndicated news magazines. Dan was previously the co-anchor of the ABC7 Weekend News at 6 and 11 p.m.
Dan has been honored with numerous industry awards. The National Academy of Television Arts and Science (NATAS) has presented him with seven Emmy Awards for Outstanding Achievement: Investigative Reporting and Continuing Coverage. The Radio and Television News Directors Association (RTNDA) has honored Dan six times, for Best Investigative Reporting and Best News Reporting in Northern California. Dan also received the RTNDA Regional Edward R. Murrow Award for Investigative Reporting. The Associated Press Television and Radio Association (APTRA) has also honored Dan for Best Investigative Reporting. The Anti-Defamation League has given him the Pursuit of Justice Award.
Source:
Santa Clara County Public Guardian Under Fire for Isolating Elderly
Source:
I-Team Investigates Santa Clara County Public Guardian
SPECIAL THANKS AND APPRECIATION TO NASGA CALIFORNIA ADVOCACY LIAISON, LINDA KINCAID AND REPORTER DAN NOYES!
Dan has been honored with numerous industry awards. The National Academy of Television Arts and Science (NATAS) has presented him with seven Emmy Awards for Outstanding Achievement: Investigative Reporting and Continuing Coverage. The Radio and Television News Directors Association (RTNDA) has honored Dan six times, for Best Investigative Reporting and Best News Reporting in Northern California. Dan also received the RTNDA Regional Edward R. Murrow Award for Investigative Reporting. The Associated Press Television and Radio Association (APTRA) has also honored Dan for Best Investigative Reporting. The Anti-Defamation League has given him the Pursuit of Justice Award.
Public Hearing: Proposed Rate Change Plan for Santa Clara County Professional Fiduciaries
Elderly adults, the disabled and their advocates packed a San Jose auditorium Wednesday, expressing outrage over excessive fees charged by court-appointed estate managers who are now under fire as a state lawmaker and Santa Clara County's top judge promised action.
One woman described losing everything to trustees, whose fees landed the onetime philanthropist on food stamps. Another lamented a $182,000 bill for nine months' work billed to her ex-husband's estate.
"I'm a senior and I've lost everything," Annette Aiassa told Judge Brian Walsh and state Assemblyman Jim Beall, D-San Jose. "So I'm wondering, can you do anything for me?"
Their pleas for help came in the first public hearing over proposed reforms since this newspaper's investigation "Loss of Trust" exposed how permissive Santa Clara County's court has been over the years as some private conservators hand six-figure bills to incapacitated adults under the court's watch.
Less than a month after the newspaper's story, the court convened a panel that has proposed new rules to curb fees that, in some cases, are double what neighboring counties allow.
Local judges vote Nov. 15 before sending the new rules to state officials.
If approved, as of Jan. 1, conservators here would be expected to charge hourly rates between $115 and $165 -- half what many now charge. Routine tasks such as opening mail and grocery shopping could not be billed at rates higher than $55 an hour.
Realtor Richard Calhoun said the proposed changes sound good but do not go far enough. "Cutting the hourly rate is fine," Calhoun said, "but they could double the work that they do."
Walsh told the crowd that the court is committed to change, noting that Santa Clara County is likely to pass the strictest set of guidelines on conservator fees in the state. But he described the difficulty crafting rules that are not "too strict," thereby driving away "caring and capable people."
Full Article and Source:
Rate Change Plan Seeks to Rein in Expensive Estate Manager Fees
See Also:
Special Report: Loss of Trust
One woman described losing everything to trustees, whose fees landed the onetime philanthropist on food stamps. Another lamented a $182,000 bill for nine months' work billed to her ex-husband's estate.
Their pleas for help came in the first public hearing over proposed reforms since this newspaper's investigation "Loss of Trust" exposed how permissive Santa Clara County's court has been over the years as some private conservators hand six-figure bills to incapacitated adults under the court's watch.
Less than a month after the newspaper's story, the court convened a panel that has proposed new rules to curb fees that, in some cases, are double what neighboring counties allow.
Local judges vote Nov. 15 before sending the new rules to state officials.
If approved, as of Jan. 1, conservators here would be expected to charge hourly rates between $115 and $165 -- half what many now charge. Routine tasks such as opening mail and grocery shopping could not be billed at rates higher than $55 an hour.
Realtor Richard Calhoun said the proposed changes sound good but do not go far enough. "Cutting the hourly rate is fine," Calhoun said, "but they could double the work that they do."
Walsh told the crowd that the court is committed to change, noting that Santa Clara County is likely to pass the strictest set of guidelines on conservator fees in the state. But he described the difficulty crafting rules that are not "too strict," thereby driving away "caring and capable people."
Full Article and Source:
Rate Change Plan Seeks to Rein in Expensive Estate Manager Fees
See Also:
Special Report: Loss of Trust
Wednesday, November 7, 2012
Lawyer: Cop is Exploiting Elderly Woman
A Superior Court judge is scheduled to preside over a hearing Thursday regarding allegations that a Portsmouth police detective is exploiting an incompetent elderly woman to inherit her significant estate.
The detective, Aaron Goodwin, 33, denies any wrongdoing. Meanwhile, the New Hampshire attorney general's office and Bureau of Elderly Affairs have stated there's no evidence of a crime, while Portsmouth police brass say the accusations largely pertain to off-duty activity.
The woman, who will be 94 in December and whose competency is being disputed, has an estate that includes an $805,000 waterfront home with boat docks and an in-ground swimming pool, according to Portsmouth assessing records. When recently asked if Goodwin is named as a beneficiary of her new trust, which was filed in June with the county probate court, the woman told Seacoast Media Group, "You bet he is."
"It's my money and my house and I'll do as I please," she said.
Making accusations in a Rockingham County Superior Court probate motion that Goodwin provided companionship to the woman so he'd "inherit the entire estate" is attorney James Ritzo. The Portsmouth lawyer filed a motion with the court stating the elderly woman was his client for the past 25 years and during the last 10 years, he alleges, she has suffered "increasingly" from dementia, Alzheimer's disease and failing eyesight.
In his motion, Ritzo wrote that he drafted several wills for the woman, most recently in 2009, and that they remained fairly consistent over the years. Instead of billing the elderly client regularly during those 25 years, Ritzo wrote, he had an agreement stating he'd be paid a percentage of her estate "for past services."
That changed, Ritzo claims in his motion, shortly after the detective met the elderly woman in November 2010, when she called police about a prowler. Two weeks later, Ritzo wrote in court documents, the woman asked him to change her will so she could "leave her entire estate to detective Aaron Goodwin."
Full Article and Source:
Lawyer: Cop is Exploiting Elderly Woman
The woman, who will be 94 in December and whose competency is being disputed, has an estate that includes an $805,000 waterfront home with boat docks and an in-ground swimming pool, according to Portsmouth assessing records. When recently asked if Goodwin is named as a beneficiary of her new trust, which was filed in June with the county probate court, the woman told Seacoast Media Group, "You bet he is."
"It's my money and my house and I'll do as I please," she said.
Making accusations in a Rockingham County Superior Court probate motion that Goodwin provided companionship to the woman so he'd "inherit the entire estate" is attorney James Ritzo. The Portsmouth lawyer filed a motion with the court stating the elderly woman was his client for the past 25 years and during the last 10 years, he alleges, she has suffered "increasingly" from dementia, Alzheimer's disease and failing eyesight.
In his motion, Ritzo wrote that he drafted several wills for the woman, most recently in 2009, and that they remained fairly consistent over the years. Instead of billing the elderly client regularly during those 25 years, Ritzo wrote, he had an agreement stating he'd be paid a percentage of her estate "for past services."
That changed, Ritzo claims in his motion, shortly after the detective met the elderly woman in November 2010, when she called police about a prowler. Two weeks later, Ritzo wrote in court documents, the woman asked him to change her will so she could "leave her entire estate to detective Aaron Goodwin."
Full Article and Source:
Lawyer: Cop is Exploiting Elderly Woman
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