ATTORNEY NEWSLETTER
Federal Prison Sentence For Defrauding Elderly Couple
$1.6 Million Scheme Allegedly Lasted Two Years
Thousands Of Phone Calls To Older Couples Produced Hundreds Of Transfers
Financial elder abuse is sometimes a single event or transaction but more commonly it is a sustained scheme playing out over time. Reports of the recent sentencing of two individuals illustrates how a two-year scheme against an older couple that reaped $1.6 million for the perpetrators until they were caught.[1] The litigators at Evans Law Firm, Inc. have years of experience in untangling the financial manipulation of seniors and helping the victim’s family or other longtime beneficiaries recover money or property funneled off by a caregiver, stranger, or girlfriend or boyfriend for themselves. If you or someone you know is a victim of financial elder abuse here in Santa Clara County or elsewhere in California, call us today at 415-441-8669, and we can help.
Harassing Calls, Lies, And False Promises
The scheme in the reported case began when a 76-year-old man offered a commercial trailer for sale at his business. One of the defendants responded to the offer and claimed he brokered vehicle sales and could sell the trailer in exchange for a cut of the profit. Defendant never sold the trailer, but quickly ingratiated himself with the victim according to court records. Defendant then approached the man and his elderly wife with an alleged lucrative investment opportunity, claiming that a friend was set to inherit an estate valued in excess of $100 million, but could not come up with the fees and legal costs necessary to release the estate. Defendant told the elderly couple that if they could advance the funds, they would receive a substantial return when the estate closed. The victims made multiple payments to defendant over a period as they were told various stories about delays and increased costs. An associate of defendant impersonated the woman said to be inheriting the money in phone calls with the elderly couple. Defendant allegedly placed more than 5,000 outgoing calls to the victims and stole more than $1.6 million from the couple according to court records. The stolen money was allegedly spent on restaurants, cigars, luxury retail purchases and repeated travel to Las Vegas and other locations including Hawaii, Anaheim, and a luxury lodge in Oregon. Defendants have been sentenced to over five years in federal prison and were ordered to pay $1.6 million in restitution.
Isolated Seniors At Highest Risk
According to reports on the case, the older couple lived in isolation and fell victim to the stranger who ingratiated himself to them and then defrauded them on a grand scale. If you have older loved ones , friends, or neighbors stay active in their lives so that they are not so susceptible to strangers posing as “new friends.” If you suspect any abuse, call elder counsel right away such as the elder abuse litigators at Evans Law Firm, Inc. Vigilance and action can protect the vulnerable elderly. “Elder abuse is a devastating crime that can leave its victims financially and emotionally damaged for the rest of their lives,” as U.S. Attorney Billy J. William, prosecuting the reported case. said. “Seniors fall victim to fraud schemes at far greater rates than the rest of the population. We all need to watch out for our elderly friends and loved ones. Your vigilance will make a difference.”
Contact Us
Ingrid M. Evans and the other elder abuse attorneys at Evans Law Firm represent victims of financial elder abuse In Santa Clara County and throughout California. If you suspect financial elder abuse of a loved one, friend, or neighbor, call Ingrid the other Evans Law Firm elder abuse attorneys at (415) 441-8669, or by email at <a href=”mailto:info@evanslaw.com”>info@evanslaw.com</a>. Our litigators have experience with elder abuse cases in the Santa Clara County Courts and will pursue all available remedies in your case including recovery of attorneys’ fees and expenses in certain types of elder abuse cases.
[1] Evans Law Firm, Inc. is not involved in the case in any way.
