Elder Fraud Wars

By recounting actual court cases, this book examines the multi-billion-dollar elder fraud industry, the special vulnerabilities of those it targets, and the ease and frequency with which it obtains hundreds of thousands of dollars per victim. It also reveals successful strategies for combating that industry and the important contributions to that effort by concerned bankers, doctors, reporters and others in the private sector. The cases reveal an increasingly sophisticated global industry that targets each victim with a series of repeat "hits." This tactic--criminals call it "reloading"--sets the elder fraud industry apart from groups that defraud younger individuals. Twelve key age-related fraud vulnerabilities are illustrated in the cases. So, too, are the scammers' skills in mapping their target's unique combination of vulnerabilities and then tailoring their narratives to exploit each one. Most of the cases highlight actual victims, scam artists or fraud fighters. Their individual stories range from inspiring and sometimes comical to frustrating and deeply disturbing. Readers with aging parents, law enforcement officials, medical professionals, members of the financial industry and others who work with older adults will find it particularly useful.

By recounting actual court cases, this book examines the multi-billion-dollar elder fraud industry, the special vulnerabilities of those it targets, and the ease and frequency with which it obtains hundreds of thousands of dollars per victim. It also reveals successful strategies for combating that industry and the important contributions to that effort by concerned bankers, doctors, reporters and others in the private sector. The cases reveal an increasingly sophisticated global industry that targets each victim with a series of repeat "hits." This tactic--criminals call it "reloading"--sets the elder fraud industry apart from groups that defraud younger individuals. Twelve key age-related fraud vulnerabilities are illustrated in the cases. So, too, are the scammers' skills in mapping their target's unique combination of vulnerabilities and then tailoring their narratives to exploit each one. Most of the cases highlight actual victims, scam artists or fraud fighters. Their individual stories range from inspiring and sometimes comical to frustrating and deeply disturbing. Readers with aging parents, law enforcement officials, medical professionals, members of the financial industry and others who work with older adults will find it particularly useful.

The inspiration behind the upcoming HBO Max limited series directed by Susanna Fogel and co-executive produced by Cathy Schottenstein Ninety-six-year-old Beverley Schottenstein’s legal victory against the biggest bank in the world, J.P. Morgan, and two of her own grandsons made financial headlines around the globe. Now, Beverley’s granddaughter Cathy reveals that her cousins’ crimes were not merely financial, but also deeply personal—and all too common. Beverley’s War warns readers of the real and irreversible consequences of elder abuse, financial fraud, and how family money can sow the seeds of generational conflict. This book offers a rare and unflinching look at the fiercely private Schottenstein clan, one of America’s most influential and philanthropic families. It’s a story about how money can tear a family apart and about the multigenerational roots of the entitlement that allowed Beverley’s grandsons to justify fraud and deceit. In 2020, then 94-year-old Beverley Schottenstein, the matriarch of the Schottenstein retail dynasty, was cross-examined for more than eleven hours in a financial-industry arbitration that captured media attention worldwide. Beverley sought restitution for unauthorized trading by her financial advisor grandsons and accused them of abusing their fiduciary duty, making fraudulent misrepresentations, and elder abuse. In 2021, the final binding decision and $19 million award made seismic headlines, but few people knew the inside story of what Beverley had endured. In a candid narrative that reaches beyond Evan and Avi Schottenstein’s fraud and deceit, Beverley’s granddaughter Cathy details the warning signs of elder abuse and wrestles with the origins of family dysfunction and betrayal—all while weaving together a powerful and detailed story that captures and honors her grandmother’s legacy. It’s a timely and important book, shining a bright light on what even the most vulnerable can accomplish when refusing to be intimidated or governed by fear.

The author is a Florida detective recognized as an expert investigator of exploitation crimes who presents 11 shocking and factual investigations. He dispels the myths of this misunderstood crime while providing specific and practical prevention advice.... How to recognize exploitation, expose exploiters and help them to incriminate themselves....Easy legal steps to take to prevent someone from emptying an elder's bank accounts if they should lose mental capacity...How to protect yourself while you still can. Preview the book now.

Since the late 1970s when Congressman Claude Pepper held widely publicized hearings on the mistreatment of the elderly, policy makers and practitioners have sought ways to protect older Americans from physical, psychological, and financial abuse. Yet, during the last 20 years fewer than 50 articles have addressed the shameful problem that abusersâ€"and sometimes the abused themselvesâ€"want to conceal. Elder Mistreatment in an Aging America takes a giant step toward broadening our understanding of the mistreatment of the elderly and recommends specific research and funding strategies that can be used to deepen it. The book includes a discussion of the conceptual, methodological, and logistical issues needed to create a solid research base as well as the ethical concerns that must be considered when working with older subjects. It also looks at problems in determination of a report's reliability and the role of physicians, EMTs, and others who are among the first to recognize situations of mistreatment. Elder Mistreatment in an Aging America will be of interest to anyone concerned about the elderly and ways to intervene when abuse is suspected, including family members, caregivers, and advocates for the elderly. It will also be of interest to researchers, research sponsors, and policy makers who need to know how to advance our knowledge of this problem.