ATTORNEY NEWSLETTER
Bank Teller Created False Counter Checks On Senior’s Account
Embezzled Over $349,000
Relative Of Victim Discovers Fraud
Seniors are at risk of financial elder abuse from all corners of their lives. Dishonest in-home caregivers and nursing home aides, bookkeepers, insurance agents, trustees, brokers, strangers, contractors and, as a recently reported case reveals, even bank tellers. Evans Law Firm. Inc. represents victims and their families against all wrongdoers including persons who may be responsible for hiring and supervising the dishonest employee in the first place, or anyone who assists the abuser in their financial abuse. California broadly defines financial elder abuse:
(a) “Financial abuse” of an elder or dependent adult occurs when a person or entity does any of the following:
(1) Takes, secretes, appropriates, obtains, or retains real or personal property of an elder or dependent adult for a wrongful use or with intent to defraud, or both.
(2) Assists in taking, secreting, appropriating, obtaining, or retaining real or personal property of an elder or dependent adult for a wrongful use or with intent to defraud, or both.
(3) Takes, secretes, appropriates, obtains, or retains, or assists in taking, secreting, appropriating, obtaining, or retaining, real or personal property of an elder or dependent adult by undue influence, as defined in Section 15610.70.
Cal. Welf. & Inst. Code § 15610.30.
Evans Law Firm, Inc. can represent you if you lose money as a result of financial elder abuse in San Francisco or elsewhere in California. If you have, call our lawyers today at (415)441-8669. Our toll-free number is 1-888-50EVANS (888-503-8267).
Bank Teller Sentenced For Embezzlement From Senior[1]
The U.S. Department of Justice recently announced the sentencing of a bank teller for embezzlement from a senior customer of the bank where the teller was employed. According to the DOJ the teller used her position with the bank to embezzle approximately $349,556 from an elder customer’s account by using 100 counter checks to debit funds from the account. The teller allegedly access personal information from other legitimate banking transactions to create the fraudulent counter checks, and forged the signatures of the senior and various others on the counter checks in an effort to conceal her embezzlement scheme. Some of the counter checks bore false notations like “roofing,” “market/garden work,” “light fixtures/cleaning,” “extras plumbing,” “misc. work,” “renovations,” and “maintenance.” Other counter checks totaling approximately $275,632 payable to another individual that were supposedly for “house,” “maintenance,” and for “happy birthday.” When confronted by a relative of the victim about these checks, defendant falsely implicated another individual according to the DOJ. The teller was sentenced to 27 months in prison and ordered to pay restitution.
Protecting Loved Ones From Financial Elder Abuse
If you are a family member of an older loved one the best way to protect them from the kind of fraud described in the reported case is to stay involved in their lives and financial affairs and constantly monitor all bank and investment accounts. Accompany any older loved one to any business meetings so that they are not sold an unsuitable investment or insurance product or coaxed into signing blank forms or checks under the pressure of a broker or agent. Trace where their funds are being invested and carefully review statements to see if they have been doctored or otherwise appear suspicious. Keep hard copies of all bank and investment firm records. You may need them as banks only keep records for seven years. Closely examine all bills that are being paid directly from any account to make sure they are your loved one’s bills and not the bills of someone else who has given the account information to their own creditors for bill payments.
Contact Us
If you or a loved one has been the victim of financial elder abuse in San Francisco or elsewhere in California contact Ingrid M. Evans at Evans Law Firm, Inc. at (415) 441-8669, or by email at <a href=”mailto:info@evanslaw.com”>info@evanslaw.com</a>. Our toll-free number is 1-888-50EVANS (888-503-8267).
[1] Evans Law Firm, Inc. was not involved in the case in any way.
