Tuesday, April 1, 2025
Monday, March 31, 2025
Criminal charges against Virginia nursing home staffers to be upgraded
Thirteen defendants from the Colonial Heights Rehabilitation and Nursing Center appeared before a judge Wednesday, facing charges related to an investigation of elder abuse.
Source:
Criminal charges against Virginia nursing home staffers to be upgraded
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Nursing home doctor charged in case alleging lack of oversight of patient care
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One of 4 Colonial Heights nursing home employees jailed for abuse gets bond: Court records
Night nurse granted bond in elder-abuse death case; prosecutor said condition 'ignored'
Craig Case Found Guilty in $690K Montecito Elder Fraud and Theft Case
A Santa Barbara jury on Thursday found local security company owner and part-time TV host Craig Case guilty on 63 of 64 counts related to the embezzlement of nearly $700,000
Source:
Craig Case Found Guilty in $690K Montecito Elder Fraud and Theft Case
Sunday, March 30, 2025
Find out why AARP wants stronger elder fraud protection
By Jordan Vallone
With thousands of older New Yorkers losing more than $200 million annually to scams, AARP New York is urging legislative leaders to join Gov. Kathy Hochul in including consumer protections in the final state budget to combat elder financial fraud.
A coalition — including the chairs of the state Legislature’s Aging Committees, other lawmakers, the state police superintendent and a credit union industry security expert — highlighted the growing crisis during a news conference Monday at the state Capitol.
More than 4,300 New Yorkers age 60 and older lost a total of $203.4 million in 2023, the fourth highest total of any state, according to an FBI report. That amounts to roughly $557,000 per day — or $23,200 per hour — lost to financial exploitation. The average victim lost $47,000.
“These numbers are appalling, and they’re made worse by the fact that so many of the victims are people who worked their whole lives to put aside funds for retirement, only to see much of it—or all of it—stolen through a financial scam,” AARP New York State Director Beth Finkel said.
Finkel called on Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins and Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie to include fraud prevention measures in the budget to help financial institutions recognize and prevent scams targeting older adults.
“Where are financial institutions in helping to stop this crime? The big banks cannot sit idle on the sidelines,” Finkel said. “They need to work with the governor, Legislature and AARP to make sure their own customers have the protections they need.”
Hochul’s executive budget includes a provision to train bank tellers and other financial institution employees to recognize signs of financial exploitation. The measure would allow employees to place a hold on suspicious transactions and refer cases to law enforcement for investigation.
One of the most common scams targeting older adults is the “grandparent scam,” in which criminals pose as a relative — often a grandchild — and claim to need emergency financial help. Victims frequently withdraw cash to assist their “relative,” only to later realize they were deceived. Since scammers often request payment in cash, gift cards or wire transfers, victims have little chance of recovering their money.
State Sen. Cordell Cleare, chair of the Senate Aging Committee, praised AARP’s advocacy on the issue. “It is despicable that our beloved older New Yorkers would be targeted in this way,” Cleare said. “Every proactive solution must be on the table, including legislation I already passed this year establishing the Interagency Elder Justice Task Force.”
Assemblymember Gabriella Romero echoed the call for stronger safeguards.
“Elder fraud and financial abuse are a heartbreaking but all-too-common reality,” Romero said. “New Yorkers are losing hundreds of millions of dollars to these scams — often the retirement savings they worked their whole lives to earn.”
New York State Police Superintendent Steven James said scams targeting older residents are becoming more sophisticated, making it difficult for law enforcement to intervene before money is lost.
“With this legislation, the financial sector will have the authority to stop or delay payments when fraud is suspected,” James said. “This will prevent seniors from being stripped of their savings and give law enforcement a better chance of arresting the suspects before they escape with the stolen money.”
State Chief Cyber Officer Colin Ahern said financial exploitation of older adults has reached “alarming levels,” with cyber fraud losses rising rapidly.
“The rise in these crimes underscores the urgent need to pass the legislation proposed by Gov. Hochul,” Ahern said. “It will enable financial institutions to take action to prevent consumer losses and ensure law enforcement can investigate these crimes.”
For updates, follow AARP New York on X, formerly Twitter: @AARPNY, Facebook: AARP New York, and LinkedIn: AARP New York.
Full Article & Source:
Find out why AARP wants stronger elder fraud protection
State Hold Laws and Elder Financial Exploitation Survey Report
This survey examines how banks are utilizing “hold” laws that allow banks to delay or hold transactions in suspected cases of elder exploitation.
To protect older customers from the growing threat of elder financial exploitation, banks have implemented protective measures including staff training, customer education, enhanced fraud investigations, and collaboration with law enforcement and adult protective services (APS).
States have also taken strong action — about half have “hold” laws that allow banks to delay disbursements or hold transactions when they suspect financial exploitation of an older or vulnerable person.
To better understand how banks are utilizing these laws, the ABA Foundation conducted a national survey Sept. 9 – Oct. 8, 2024. Key findings include:
- Prevalence of Hold Laws: More than half (54.4%) of the respondents conduct business in states with hold laws.
- Utilization of Hold Laws: Among these banks, half have used the laws to hold transactions, leveraging the time to contact a trusted family member or friend, collaborate with law enforcement or APS, or dissuade customers from transferring their money to a would-be thief.
- Call for Longer Hold Periods: Over half (52.4%) of respondents utilizing state hold laws believe longer hold periods are needed to accommodate thorough investigations and, when necessary, interventions.
- Effectiveness: Nearly half (43%) of respondents utilizing state hold laws report that the laws have been useful in preventing elder financial exploitation.
- Support for Passage of Hold Laws: Almost 90% of respondents in states without hold laws said such a law would be beneficial.
Download the report to view the full survey findings.
Full Article & Source:
State Hold Laws and Elder Financial Exploitation Survey Report
Saturday, March 29, 2025
Conservator for Waterbury man held captive for decades wants case file sealed
By Bruno Matarazzo Jr.
WATERBURY — A probate judge will consider arguments to seal a file involving the 32-year-old man police said was held captive by his stepmother for more than 20 years.
A court-appointed conservator and an attorney for the victim are seeking to have the probate case sealed.
A CT Insider reporter objected to the request during a hearing this week in probate court, arguing the public has a vested interest in ensuring that judicial proceedings remain transparent, particularly in cases involving allegations of abuse, and it would limit oversight of the system meant to protect individuals in similar situations.
The probate file contained notices of hearings in the case and documents requesting a judge appointing a conservator.
The judge on Monday sealed the file temporarily until April 7 when he is expected to issue a final ruling.
A probate judge appointed the conservator at the request from staff at the Connecticut hospital where the victim has been rehabilitating since police say he set fire to his room at a Blake Street house in February in a bid for freedom. CT Insider is withholding the name of the facility to protect the victim's privacy.
The man's stepmother, Kimberly Sullivan, 56, has been charged in connection with his captivity, which police say began when he was 11 years old.
Sullivan is charged with second-degree kidnapping, first-degree assault, cruelty to a person, first-degree unlawful restraint and first-degree reckless endangerment. She is free on $300,000 bail and is not allowed to have any contact with her stepson.
Sullivan's attorney, Ioannis Kaloidis, said his client denies the allegations.
The victim has been under tight security at the Connecticut facility, which has not permitted access to him to "protect this very fragile patient," according to a letter by the hospital's attorney. CT Insider reviewed the letter before the judge temporarily sealed the probate file on Monday.
The hospital wouldn't even allow the victim to be served for the purposes of Monday's probate court hearing. The hospital cited in the letter the "very special circumstances of the subject's patient's admission, including an extensive history of abuse, isolation and emotional trauma."
The victim described to police years of forced isolation, limited to two sandwiches and two small bottles of water a day, according to the warrant for Sullivan's arrest. The room, approximately 9 feet by 8 feet, had an exterior slide lock, reinforced plywood and no bathroom access, the warrant said. Investigators found evidence supporting the man's claims, including remnants of the locked door and makeshift waste disposal methods he was forced to use, according to the warrant.
When firefighters responded to the February blaze at the home, they found the victim emaciated, weighing just 68 pounds at 5 feet, 9 inches tall, with severe muscle atrophy and decayed teeth, according to the warrant.
Medical reports confirmed he suffered from extreme malnutrition and had
not received any documented medical treatment since childhood, the
warrant said. His body mass index was recorded at 11, significantly
below the threshold for starvation, according to the warrant.
Full Article & Source:
Conservator for Waterbury man held captive for decades wants case file sealed
See Also:
New details emerge after man held hostage for 20 years in Waterbury
Attorney General Brown Announces Sentencing Of Caregiver For Financial Exploitation Of A Vulnerable Adult
BALTIMORE, MD (March 21, 2025) – Attorney General Anthony G. Brown today announced the sentencing of Tavonia Stackhouse, 47, of Randallstown, Maryland, and Monica Brown, 49, of Baltimore, Maryland, relating to the financial exploitation of a vulnerable adult while the victim lived at Rescuing Hearts Assisted Living Facility in Baltimore City. Stackhouse owned the assisted living facility and Brown was a caretaker at the facility.
From August of 2022 to May of 2023, Stackhouse and Brown used the bank account of a vulnerable adult who lived at their assisted living facility as if it were their own. When the vulnerable adult confronted them, Stackhouse and Brown said the victim was delusional and aggressive. This allegation led to the victim being hospitalized and later relocated to a different facility.
“Residents of assisted living facilities depend on their caretakers to look out for their best interests—not to exploit them,” said Attorney General Brown. “Financial abuse of vulnerable adults is a serious betrayal of trust, and our Office will always stand up for Marylanders who cannot advocate for themselves, holding accountable those who take advantage of them.”
On March 03, 2025, Stackhouse pleaded guilty to financial exploitation of a vulnerable adult before the Honorable Judge Althea Handy of the Circuit Court for Baltimore City. Judge Handy sentenced her to five years, suspending all but 60 days in jail with three years of supervised probation, and to pay restitution of $25,291.80.
On March 18, 2025, Brown pleaded guilty to financial exploitation of a vulnerable adult before the Honorable Judge Barry Williams of the Circuit Court for Baltimore City. Judge Williams sentenced her to five years, suspended all but time served, with three years of supervised probation, restitution of $3,000.00, and 100 hours of community service.
As terms of probation, both defendants were ordered not to provide care for vulnerable adults or participate in Medicare, Medicaid, or any other federally funded health program.
In making today’s announcement, Attorney General Brown thanked his Medicaid Fraud and Vulnerable Victims Unit, particularly Deputy Director Lisa Hyle Marts, Assistant Attorney General Kurt Davidson, Investigator Kevin Clements, Investigator Edward Gray, and Fraud Analyst David Minzer for their work on this case.
The Maryland Office of the Attorney General, Medicaid Fraud and Vulnerable Victims Unit receives 75 percent of its funding from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services under a grant award totaling $6,845,828 for Federal fiscal year (FY) 2025. The remaining 25 percent, totaling $2,281,939 for FY 2025, is funded by the State of Maryland.