ATTORNEY NEWSLETTER
Caregiver Allegedly Gambled Away Victim’s Money
Over 100 Criminal Charges Against Caregiver
Protecting Older Loved Ones
According to FBI and National Institute of Justice statistics, as many as one in 10 seniors are victims of financial elder abuse. Their financial predators are most often caregivers or other persons in close proximity to their victims. Caregiver fraud/caregiver theft ranges from theft of cash, credit cards and checks to elaborate schemes aimed at taking an elderly victim’s entire estate. Unauthorized online access to an elderly person’s financial accounts is a frequent means of this type of financial elder abuse. While theft from any person is a crime, when the victim is over 65 any theft is also criminal financial elder abuse and grounds for civil liability against the person who took the property. Anyone assisting in financial elder abuse, even if another person is the one who physically takes the elder’s property, also commits financial elder abuse and is responsible for the property taken. Penal Code § 368; Cal. Welf. & Inst. Code § 15610.30(a)(1) and (2). California broadly defines what constitutes 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.
If you or a loved one is a victim of elder or dependent adult abuse or neglect or caregiver fraud/caregiver theft in the San Francisco Bay Area call us today at (415)441-8669. Our toll-free number is 1-888-50EVANS (888-503-8267).
Arrest In Caregiver Fraud/Caregiver Theft Case[1]
A woman has been arrested after being arraigned on 1,030 counts, 513 of which are identity theft. More than 500 counts of access device fraud, along with forgery, financial exploitation of a care-dependent person, theft by deception and criminal use of a communications facility, add to her charges. Police were contacted July 1, 2025, and spoke with the victim, who alleged the woman had made unauthorized withdrawals from his account, according to the criminal complaint. It was noted that the woman was the victim’s caregiver from November 2024 to July 1, 2025. According to the victim, he had a severe visual impairment that required assistance. This assistance included the caregiver being there to set up a bank account, charging documents show. Police went over some of the victim’s bank statements with him, allegedly showing numerous transactions he never authorized, including to online gambling sites and other apps. The victim showed police he only used an older-style touchpad flip phone that isn’t able to use phone applications.
Protecting Older Loved Ones From Caregiver Fraud/Caregiver Theft
If your older loved one has in-home help, keep confidential financial information out of reach for any caregiver in your older loved one’s home. Never let a caregiver know Social Security numbers, bank account numbers, PINs or any other confidential financial information of any kind. Regularly monitor all a senior’s accounts – not just the household checking account. Track where any Social Security or retirement benefits are being deposited every month. Start your due diligence even before you get to the account monitoring stage. Always do a background check on anyone you hire as a caregiver; get references and call them. Never, ever give a caregiver a Power of Attorney, credit card, or a blank check. Stay involved in any senior loved one’s life so a stranger does not have the opportunity for this kind of theft and exploitation.
Contact Us
. If you sense any financial elder abuse of an older loved one in the San Francisco Bay Area, call us right away. Ingrid M. Evans has years of experience in representing seniors and their families against abusers of any kind, including in-home caregivers. You can reach us at (415) 441-8669, or by email at info@evanslaw.com. 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. This case was first reported on by a local newspaper in
