The Los Angeles Times recently ran a four part series on the "Guardianship for Profit" scams which are only now coming into media attention, although they've been an on-going problem which is going to get worse. My nightmare began over a year ago in Florida and has cost our family over $250,000.00 and nearly cost my parents their home and their very lives.

I've joined forces with an organization called guardianshipwatch.org and have created a Yahoo egroup for other victims to join. If you, or anyone you know has fallen victim to this injustice, please tell them to join us at guardianshipscamsandsolutions@yahoogroups.com.

Raven, you are to be commended. It is a horrible, horriable crime and like so many other "new" ones that hit the streets, virtually unheard of until someone unselfish like yourself, and the organization you have linked with, start campaigning to get the word out to the rest of the world. What a great thing you are doing.

JJ

Raven, if you don't mind, could you tell us more about what happened to your family?

To make a very long story shorter, in 2002 my father had a minor mental stroke but he could no longer operate the family bakery business, so it was sold in 2003. My cousin in Florida made it her life's goal to take advantage of the situation and convinced my father to visit her for a "vacation", which he used to do frequently. Once he got to Florida, she convinced him that my mother and I were out to get him, find a sleeze of an attorney, revoked my mother's power of attorney and was appointed POA, tried to cash a check for over $50,000.00 and hid him from us for nearly 3 months. My mother was falling apart in NY, my dad was somewhere in FL and I was living in CA with my family. In July of 2004 I phoned the Florida hot line to report my cousin's activities. I was lied to and told I could not have guardianship because I did not live in the state, so they suggested the Jewish Family Services of West Palm Beach act as a temporary emergency guardian to get my cousin out of the picture and return my father to NY. I flew to the hearing in Sept of 2004, and was again told I could not be the guardian, so JFS assumed permanent status and was worse than my cousin's activities. We finally managed to get my dad out of there in May of 2005 and then discovered that the agency and their attorneys spent nearly $250,000.00 of my father's life savings in this guardianship scam. $25,000,00 when to the "divorce" attorney and over $50,000.00 went to the "guardians" and their attorney, Mark Shalloway , who happens to be the Vice President of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys. In spite of a court order dated Oct 11, JFS and the Shalloways have still not returned the remaining funds in my father's account in Florida which he needs to pay his expenses. I've phoned and written everyone from Washington D.C. down to the Palm Beach Mayor's office and not ONE elected official, social service or any other non-profit agency can or will do a thing to help.
By chance I found a web site guardianshipwatch.org and contacted the founder. Her agency only has NY and FL scammers listed, and we're committed to go after ALL parties, lawyers, agencies, even JUDGES to expose this horror which will only get worse before it gets better. SO, if anyone knows of someone, or if you have been a victim of the guardianship "system", please visit my egroup at:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/guardianshipscamsandsolutions/

Thanks to everyone and the very best HOLIDAY to all!

Raven West

Raven, please write something up about your group and guardianshipwatch.org and I'll put it in the next NABBW newsletter. I'm happy to help spread the word.

Thank you Dotsie. I've just added two more links to the egroup site including the link to guardianwatch.org site and the Los Angeles Times 4 part series which was published last week.

I'll send you the information on guardianwatch as soon as I get it from Lori. As for the yahoo egroup:

This is a group for victims and their families of the Guardianship system which robs Seniors of their dignity and life savings. Our goal is to create a national coalition of law enforcement, non-profit agencies and pro bono attorneys who will fight for the rights of all victims of this insidious new industry of legalized theft which threatens the very lives of future generations.

you go, Raven!!! what horrible degree of GREED it takes to steal retirement funds from the elderly and their families. i hope you and your group can make enough noise to be heard in the right circles.

Raven, please send me this information in an email to dots@nabbw.com. Since you are a member of nabbw I can put it in both newsletters. Yahoo!

Please visit www.nabbw.com to learn about the National Association of Baby Boomer Women. One of the benefits is reduced advertising at BWS and the opportunity to be promoted in our newsletter.

We just received the final report from the Florida Guardians. In just over one year, they spent over $284,000.00 of my father's life savings, leaving only $22,000.00 left. The court had ordered Jewish Family Services to close his account in October and return the remaining funds to my father. Instead, they spent an additional $5,000.00 and their attorney, Mark Shalloway, sent the check to MY attorney with a note that she was to put it into her escrow account and HOLD IT until we signed the waiver stating that we would not file any further action against them. Only AFTER we signed the waivers, were we to get the money. HIS MONEY. This is extortion, as well as violation of the court order.
Every detail of this nightmare will be published and these people will be exposed for the crooks they are!

You go Raven,
If the attorney's don't steal everything then the relatives like mine do . They tell you mother that you children said you don't want anything and then they come along and take it and it to your mother twice one by the grandfather and now mother . I wonder how long can they keep this up.Crooks and Greed Yes. What goes around will come around . They will have there day.

[ December 17, 2005, 09:41 PM: Message edited by: Nancy50 ]