The wishes were simple for this elderly couple and a Secret Santa was happy to fulfill the request

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The wishes were simple for this elderly couple and a Secret Santa was happy to fulfill the request

6-year-old Mik performing Little Drummer Boy with André Rieu

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6-year-old Mik performing Little Drummer Boy with André Rieu

New Jersey Man to Pay $656,000 for Illegally Operating Ballston Spa Nursing Home

For Immediate Release

U.S. Attorney's Office, Northern District of New York 

 

Chaim “Mutty” Scheinbaum Performed Management Functions Reserved for Licensed Operators, Provided Sub-Standard Care, and Failed to Make Necessary Repairs

ALBANY, NEW YORK – The Justice Department, together with the New York State Office of the Attorney General, announced today that Chaim “Mutty” Scheinbaum has agreed to pay $656,000 to resolve allegations that he violated the False Claims Act by causing the submission of false claims to the Medicaid program for worthless services provided to residents at Saratoga Center for Rehabilitation and Skilled Nursing Care (Saratoga Center). Saratoga Center closed in February 2021, after this investigation was initiated.  The United States and the State of New York previously settled with other individuals who agreed to pay a total sum of $7,168,000 to resolve similar allegations arising from misconduct at Saratoga Center. 

“Nursing homes should protect the health and well-being of every resident,” said U.S. Attorney Carla Freedman for the Northern District of New York. “That did not happen at Saratoga Center. An individual with no lawful authority controlled the finances and failed to pay vendors. This unlawful arrangement resulted in false claims to Medicaid for worthless services. We will continue to hold responsible people accountable when they receive federal funds while providing substandard care.  Thank you to Attorney General James and her office for collaborating on this case.”

“Ensuring nursing homes are safe and deliver quality care is a top priority for HHS-OIG,” said Naomi Gruchacz, Special Agent in Charge, of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General’s New York Regional Office.  “As alleged this individual had no legal authority to operate Saratoga Center and mismanaged their control, resulting in residents suffering the consequences of unacceptable living conditions. Together with our law enforcement partners we will continue to relentlessly pursue owners and operators of nursing homes that egregiously disregard resident safety and quality-of-care.” 

“Every resident of New York’s nursing homes deserves high-quality care and proper staffing to meet their needs. Rather than ensure vulnerable residents got the care they deserved, this individual mismanaged Saratoga Center’s finances and failed to adequately staff the facility, causing residents to suffer the consequences of neglect and unsanitary conditions. I want to thank United States Attorney Carla Freedman and our partners in law enforcement for their assistance in bringing this unacceptable situation to light and to justice. My office will continue to ensure nursing home residents are protected, and I encourage anyone who has witnessed alarming conditions, resident neglect, or abuse at a nursing home to contact my office.”

Scheinbaum acknowledged in the settlement agreement that, despite never obtaining a license that would have allowed him to legally operate Saratoga Center, beginning around April 2018, he controlled Saratoga Center’s finances, determined which vendor bills would be paid, maintained the financial books and records, and had the authority to hire and fire high level employees.  Under New York State law, these responsibilities were vested exclusively in the licensed operators, who had previously relinquished control of Saratoga Center.  While Scheinbaum was operating Saratoga Center, certain vendor bills went unpaid and some vendors refused to deliver goods and/or services, including making necessary repairs.  Further, Saratoga Center failed to ensure that:

• residents had access at all times to hot water;
• the fire alarm system was properly maintained;
• the kitchen was clean and staff were able to serve hot food;
• there was a supply of linens to bathe and care for residents;
• garbage was collected;
• there was effective pest control; and
• water leaks were timely repaired.

This settlement resolves allegations that Scheinbaum submitted or caused the submission of false claims by (1) illegally operating Saratoga Center and (2) overseeing the provision of worthless services provided to residents of Saratoga Center.

The resolution obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort among the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of New York, the Justice Department’s Civil Division Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section, the New York State Office of the Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, and the United States Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher R. Moran and Civil Division Attorneys Carol Wallack and Lyle Gruby handled this matter for the United States.

The United States’ investigation was part of its Elder Justice Initiative, which supports the efforts of state and local prosecutors, law enforcement, and other elder justice professionals to combat elder abuse, neglect, and financial exploitation, with the development of training, resources and information. Learn more about the Justice Department’s Elder Justice Initiative at http://www.justice.gov/elderjustice.

Updated December 21, 2023

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New Jersey Man to Pay $656,000 for Illegally Operating Ballston Spa Nursing Home

Elderly Pawtucket woman allegedly exploited by caregiver, accused of $42,000 theft

by TEMI-TOPE ADELEYE

PAWTUCKET, R.I. (WJAR) — An elderly Pawtucket woman is heartbroken after learning her caretaker allegedly exploited her.

The woman said the certified nursing assistant has been arrested for allegedly stealing thousands of dollars from her.

Elaine Estrella, 82, said 36-year-old Christina Scanlon of Central Falls stole more than $42,000 from her. 

It was money that her and her late husband earned together.

"I have...a still have a mortgage and I'm afraid I'm going to lose my home because of her and that's totally unfair," said Estrella.

She lives with dementia and a physical disability. Her son Kevin Whalen, contacted Pawtucket Police after discovering thousands of dollars missing from her November bank statement.

"The account went from $50,000 to $15,000. We then called the bank, they looked into it, and they discovered that this woman that works for this Nursing Placement was using the debit card at the ATMs to withdraw money," said Whalen.

Whalen said Scanlon, who works for Home Health & Hospice Care of Nursing Placement in Pawtucket, allegedly stole the money while running errands for Estrella.

"She really played my mother well. This woman has to have done this...I mean she was methodical about it. How this nursing company has an employee like that is beyond me," said Whalen.

Nursing Placement said they haven't been able to reach Scanlon since they learned about the incident on Nov. 8.

Their statement read:

There was an unfortunate incident involving the theft of a client’s money by a Certified Nursing Assistant which was reported to Nursing Placement on Friday, December 8, 2023. The client was directed to contact her local police department. As soon as we were made aware, Nursing Placement attempted to bring the CNA into our office to investigate the matter. Unfortunately, we were unable to reach her. In accordance with standard operating procedures, Nursing Placement immediately reported the CNA to the RI Department of Health Board of Licensure and our insurance carrier was also notified. Nursing Placement has no further information to report and will fully cooperate with any ongoing police investigation. To the best of our knowledge, there were two conversations by members of our staff with the client’s son regarding this unfortunate occurrence and at no time was anyone victim-shamed by our organization.

Pawtucket Police arrested Scanlon on Friday. She was charged with three felonies, fraudulent use of a credit card, exploitation of an elder, and embezzlement and fraudulent conversion.

Estrella said she is not looking for pity, but wants to spread awareness on the situation.

Her son Kevin Whalen, spoke with NBC 10's Temi-Tope Adeleye. 9WJAR)

The mother and son said the bank cannot help, and the nursing home said they may only be able to give them part of the money back.

Whalen said he is looking for a lawyer who can help them, but that will cost them even more money.

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Elderly Pawtucket woman allegedly exploited by caregiver, accused of $42,000 theft

Australian Couple Book 51 Back-to-Back Cruises as it's Cheaper Than Living in Retirement Home

A couple more than 450 days into their ongoing cruise holiday say they’re still having a ‘lot of fun’.


    (Picture credit:  A Current Affair/David Sacks/Getty Images)

Marty and Jess Ansen believe that living on a cruise ship is cheaper than checking into a retirement home. Last June, they decided to put their theory to the test and headed off on the first of their 51 back-to-back holidays.

Speaking to A Current Affair, Marty said: "We're on board longer than anybody else. The wheels change over but we stay on board.”

Agreeing with her partner, Jess then said that as a couple, they regularly ‘welcome new captains on board the ship’ as well as their most recent hotel manager, Ren van Rooyen.

Speaking to the outlet, Van Rooyen said: “We always make a joke that I go away and I come back and it's like coming to see my family - my mum and dad again - they're like my second mum and dad on board.”

As well as the hotel manager, other members of the ship crew have reportedly begun to treat the Ansens as family - with Jess being surprised on board for her birthday.

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Couple Book 51 Back-to-Back Cruises as it's Cheaper Than Living in Retirement Home

Elderly woman exploited by caretaker in South Florida

By Michael Hudak

MIAMI (WSVN) - A woman who was hired to take care of an elderly woman is facing several felony charges after, officials said, she financially exploited the woman for over $100,000.

Officials with the State Attorney’s Office announced the charges during a press conference, Tuesday afternoon.

Eighty-one-year-old Myriam Fernandez, officials said, fell prey to exploitation by her caretaker, 61-year-old Gladys Smith, who now faces three first-degree felonies, including the exploitation of the elderly and grand theft of over $100,000.

“To scammers, these homes are like buried treasure, and like the pirates of the past, they work to unearth and steal that fortune,” said state attorney Katherine Fernandez-Rundle.

Fernandez, who lives with an eye disease, found herself alone after losing her Florida driver’s license following a 2021 car accident. Smith, a former Broward County resident, befriended Fernandez, eventually becoming her caretaker. Due to Fernandez’s impaired vision, she was unable to read documents Smith had her sign, including a power of attorney.

Smith used her power over Fernandez to go on a spree, including posing as Fernandez’s daughter at medical appointments, obtaining dementia medication, and even manipulating property documents.

The exploitation was discovered during a wellness check in May 22, 2023 by Fernandez’s childhood friend, Sylvia Napoli, after an anonymous tip to the Department of Children and Families.

During the check, Fernandez was found in distressing conditions, prompting Napoli to alert authorities.

“In a darken room with the strong odor of urine and feces emanating from her person,” Fernandez-Rundle said.

Napoli went to school with Fernandez in Cuba and were childhood best friends.

“Your being here sends another really strong message,” Fernandez-Rundle said. “Very brave. And feisty, I might add.”

Smith had moved to Tallahassee but was arrested seven months ago. She is expected to be transferred back to Miami-Dade County.

For now, Fernandez-Rundle said they are working to get restitution back in Fernandez’s name but it is not guaranteed she’ll gain it back. 

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Elderly woman exploited by caretaker in South Florida

Woman pleads guilty to stealing $500k from her sick, 93-year-old uncle, forcing him into nursing home

According to prosecutors, Hadee Toledo took advantage of her 93-year-old uncle when he was very sick with COVID-19.

By Christian Colón and NBC6 • Published December 19, 2023 • Updated on December 19, 2023 at 5:46 pm

A South Florida woman pled guilty Tuesday to stealing over half a million dollars from her sick uncle and forcing him to live in an assisted living facility.

After escaping to Spain, Hadee Toledo was extradited to Miami-Dade County on Monday and went before a judge for the first time Tuesday. She was arrested on a warrant from May charging her with the exploitation of an elderly person.

According to prosecutors, Toledo took advantage of her 93-year-old uncle when he was very sick with COVID-19. Authorities said the victim was hospitalized in August 2020 and remained quarantined in a nursing and rehab center after his release from the hospital.

Her son, Italo Nelli, pleaded guilty last year for helping her and was sentenced to five years probation.

Toledo allegedly forged the victim’s signature on a power of attorney document, which was allegedly witnessed by Nelli and others and was legally notarized.

Toledo then used that power of attorney to forge transfer of property deeds, allowing her to sell the victim’s home, liquidate his bank accounts, and leave Florida, prosecutors said. Hialeah Police said the house was sold in a rush for less than it was worth.

Police said Toledo even changed her name to match the victim's last name to perpetrate the scheme.

After challenges with the Spanish legal system and plea negotiations, Toledo and prosecutors agreed she would plead guilty to only one count of forgery.

"Message there is: you can run but you can't hide," Miami-Dade State Attorney Katherine Fernandez Rundle said in response to the plea.

Toledo was sentenced to six months probation and must pay her uncle's real heir $250,000. She must also waive any possible inheritance. If she violates probation, she faces up to five years in state prison.

Toledo's uncle died in September.

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Woman pleads guilty to stealing $500k from her sick, 93-year-old uncle, forcing him into nursing home

Portage man charged for telemarketing fraud that targeted the elderly

Photo by: File Photo

 

By: FOX 17 News

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — A Portage man has been charged with 7 counts of mail fraud and 11 counts of money laundering. He is 62-year-old Irfan Gill.

According to the Department of Justice, Gill worked with a call center in Pakistan as part of a telemarketing scheme from as early as June 2018 through at least March 2022. The scheme targeted elderly victims throughout the United States.

Gill claimed to operate several businesses, which were: Cable Upgrade, D Network, D Tech, Direct Network, Dish, Dish Upgrade, and Sky Satellite. Telephone solicitors at a call center in Pakistan would cold-call victims with offers of equipment upgrades, software upgrades, and subscription discounts for their cable television, satellite television, and internet services.

Although the businesses did not actually provide any of those services, victims were instructed to send payments to Gill’s post office boxes in Portage. He then deposited the payments in his bank accounts. Gill tracked the payments and used transfer services like Remitly and Western Union to pay a portion of the proceeds to the telephone solicitors in Pakistan.

It is believed that 1,400 people throughout the country were victimized in the scheme.

Gill faces up to 30 years in prison if convicted of telemarketing fraud. He also faces 20 years in prison for money laundering.

“As we have alleged, defendant Irfan Gill ran an international network to exploit America’s seniors,” said U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Mark Totten. “These scams are not going away and so we need to remain vigilant. Be cautious when you receive an unsolicited contact or offer. Resist the pressure to act quickly. Never send personally identifiable information or anything of value to unverified people or businesses. Combatting elder fraud and abuse is a top priority for my office and we will continue to hold perpetrators accountable, whether at home or abroad.”

“Postal Inspectors are dedicated to safeguarding the well-being and security of the American public, with a particular focus on protecting the elderly and vulnerable individuals from fraudulent schemes,” said Inspector in Charge Rodney M. Hopkins of the Detroit Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. “Today’s indictment serves as a stark reminder of the exploitation tactics employed by criminals who prey on the elderly and other susceptible individuals through deceptive telemarketing schemes, with the sole intention of extracting as much money as possible and, in some cases, causing irreversible financial damage to their victims. The U.S. Postal Inspection Service remains resolute in its mission to vigorously investigate and apprehend those responsible for perpetrating these telemarketing scams, thereby putting an end to their illicit activities.”

A list of tips on how to protect yourself from telemarketing scams can be found below:

• Be cautious of unsolicited phone calls, e-mails, and mailings.
• Never Give or send any sensitive information (including your date or birth, account numbers, or passwords), credit or debit card numbers, or money to unverified people or businesses.
• Resist the pressure to act quickly. Scammers create a false sense of urgency to lure people to immediate action.
• If you recognize a scam attempt, immediately end all communication with the perpetrator.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service are working to identify other individuals who may have been victimized by sending payments to the post office boxes listed below for any of the listed businesses:

Post Office Boxes:

• P.O. Box 122, Portage, Michigan 49024
• P.O. Box 404, Portage, Michigan 49024
• P.O. Box 421, Portage, Michigan 49024
• P.O. Box 482, Portage, Michigan 49024
• P.O. Box 1164, Portage, Michigan 49024
• P.O. Box 1562, Portage, Michigan 49024

Businesses:

• Cable Upgrade
• D Network
• D Tech
• Direct Network
• Dish
• Dish Upgrade
• Sky Satellite

If you believe you are a victim in this case, you can contact victim coordinator Kathy Schuette at (616) 808-2034 or visit the U.S. Department of Justice’s website.

Full Article & Source:
Portage man charged for telemarketing fraud that targeted the elderly

Dozens of elderly people across US died after leaving care facilities unchecked

by Richard Luscombe

Many care homes are understaffed, ignored alarms, skipped bed checks or otherwise neglected safety procedures

Dozens of elderly people have died across the US in the last five years after walking away unchecked from assisted-living or supposedly secure dementia or memory care facilities, a national study has found, highlighting a lack of effective oversight in a burgeoning industry.

Most of about 100 deaths since 2018, reported Monday by the Washington Post, were weather-related, involving exposure to extreme heat or cold. Some of the “elopements” – the industry name for those who leave unnoticed or unsupervised – were not found until days or even weeks later.

In the majority of the more than 2,000 cases the newspaper found of residents wandering away or simply being left outside, failures by caregivers or administrators were cited, with many care homes understaffed, ignoring alarms, skipping bed checks or otherwise neglecting crucial safety procedures.

The Post also found a disparate range in the handling and reporting of such episodes at assisted-living facilities. Unlike nursing homes, where there is federal regulation and oversight, individual states are responsible for investigations of assisted-living facilities and enforcement of regulations and few have adopted strong staffing or adequate training requirements, it said.

Only 29 states have “complete and up-to-date” inspection records, published to websites that are often hard to find or difficult to use. Many others require relatives to file public records requests to find out information – or to contact a state ombudsman.

The Post said that, as a result, its investigation was limited to only about 40% of the country, and that the figures nationally, had they been calculable, would have been even more alarming.

Examples cited include a 77-year-old woman with dementia who walked out of her assisted-living facility in Des Moines, Iowa, one evening in January 2022 when the temperature outside was -11F (-23C). Staff, who ignored a door alarm and repeated alerts on their mobile phones and iPads, found her eight hours later, collapsed outside with ice on her body. She died in hospital of exposure.

A 77-year-old man in North Carolina died from multiple organ failure after being found covered in fire ants and wasp stings almost 24 hours after leaving a North Carolina facility; and the body of a 79-year-old man was found face down in shallow water in the woods in South Carolina two weeks after his second disappearance from his care home.

Families of those who had died were frequently lied to. Records for an 86-year-old woman who was left unattended in a sweltering Colorado courtyard for six hours in June 2021 claim she “passed outside watching the sun set, an activity that she loved”.

Numerous families who spoke to the Post said they were let down after assuming their loved ones would be safe and well cared for in often pricey facilities promising security and well-trained staff.

“The thing I grieve the most is I tried everything I could for her to be safe. That’s why she was there,” the granddaughter of the Iowa victim said.

According to the Post’s investigation, the popularity of assisted-living facilities for people with Alzheimer’s, dementia or other memory diseases has grown exponentially in recent years to the point where it is now a $34bn industry, catering to about 1 million residents, compared with 1.2 million in nursing homes.

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Dozens of elderly people across US died after leaving care facilities unchecked