Our family has been through a nightmare because we made the mistake of trusting a "professional" guardian in West Palm Beach, Floria. This organization, Jewish Family Services and their attorney Mark Shalloway, stole over $250,000.00 from my father's life savings over a one year period and the Florida judge just rubberstamped their final report even though it was full of errors.

For ANYONE who is thinking about a guardianship, PLEASE make sure you ask them WHO is paying for their attorney. Our only recourse now is to appeal, or try to find an attorney who will take the case pro bono and sue them for fraud and misrepresentation, but my father is in very poor health and most probably won't live long enough to see any of his money returned.

If I knew then what I know now....

Raven West, I'm so sorry to hear about this. I hope you report them to the Better Business Bureau and any other agencies that monitor this kind of thing. What about a state licensing bureau, or whatever they're called? District attorney? Were you referred to them by any other organization?

I really don't know anything about this kind of situation, but maybe you'll be able to warn others, and put these frauds out of business.

[ October 11, 2005, 02:30 AM: Message edited by: meredithbead ]

Just a note to say this board sure gets around! I googled florida guardianship scams and my posting on this board showed up #4! Great way to get the word out. P.S., although the judge ordered the "guardian" to return whatever is left in my dad's account in Florida, the offices and banks have been closed due to the hurricane, so his assets are still frozen in the vast wasteland of Florida while the bills pile up in sunny California!

Raven,
This and problems similiar are rampet this day and age. Getting Durable Power of Attorney over of our older loved ones early is the only way to prevent these scams. That is what we did with my mom and dad. My dad didn't like it, but we did a lot of talking, telling him we wouldn't touch his monthly assets, except the part that went to savings as long as he could pay his own bills. But having durable power of attorney gives you total power over their body and money, and someone cannot step in and take it away from you and make decisions over you. Even if you live on the other coast, you know what is better for your loved ones than a stranger would. A lot of work and hard, but worth it. Anyone in a guardianship authority, has the potential to abuse the power. That is also what is happening to one of my friends - friends now.

I am not putting anyone down. I just wanted to make the statement. Everyone needs to start making plans for their own future NOW, instead of waiting until the last mnute. Who can you trust?! Have more than one person. You never know what the future will bring. My youngest son (I have 3 sons) and his wife have already said if anything happens to me or my husband (who is their step father) they are going to take care of us. But, like I said, who knows what the future holds. My oldest son will be the next one. We had horrid things happen to my parents at nursing homes, and neither my husband nor myself want to be put in one, unless absolutely nescessary. My sons feel the same way. Our wills are made! Thanks for listening, I have just heard too often, "I just don't know what I will do now." after loosing a spouse or being singles, or needing care.

Guardianship scams, conservatorship scams.
Our relative was wrongfully conserved in Monterey County, CA. Family was bypassed for the job and she had no legal representation, no evidence, no testimony when she was conserved, ie lost her liberty, over the telephone. She died in Carmel, CA, in a board and care the lowest level of care, paying $11,000.00 a month, with open lesions, she was skin and bones and looking like a Prisoner of War. She was starved and drugged with zyprexa an anti psychotic and morphine and the county has to this date kept a secret of why she had to loose her liberty, what declarations were signed. She died just as her money ran out. The county charged $27,000 for their services for one year. All her furniture was sold. she a woman of means died a pauper, skin and bones. Boomers, thinking about retiring to Carmel, CA? Think about our relative.
Johnny

We were not only the immediate family, the son in law, daughter and granddaughter, but we were also the power of attorney. Think having a power of attorney or health care directive proxy mattered to those intent on scamming a little old lady? Of course not. Think about retiring to Carmel, CA? Think first about our relative who died alone, who was never allowed to visit her family or fix a residence on the east coast. She was owned, quite literally, by her public conservator, known on the east coast as public guardian. The County was her conservator. she died alone, a pauper, weighing less than 70 lbs. These scams need to be widely exposed. We are in federal court. The Los Angeles Times recently did a story exposing these scams and there are many blogs with people writing in their stories. Johnny
Johnny

I'm from WA State. We have a guardianship program also. It's an outrageous scam. I've tried for three years to get someone to take responsibility for what is happening in this program. I've encountered every form of buck passing you can imagine. I believe that the best solution is to get the media spotlight focused on the problem. I've tried with the major newspaper - I've gotten nibbles but no bites. Any ideas? My mother's story and mine can be found at www.guardianshipscam.com.

You might try contacting AARP. Also send your story to any Mature papers thay specialize in Older Americans, like here in Vegas we have Maturity Times. You might aslo try Bill O'Reiley on TV or michael Reagan on his radio talk show. There are many avenues but it takes a lot of work. I hope you can make some headway, this is shameful what is going on.

johnny,

What was your maiden name? I used to know a friend named Johnny in my high school years...She slipped thru the years, tho....

I know Johnny and about his case. Believe me, NOTHING can protect you from these interest people. I just posted a message under Forced Guardianship, Miami-Dade Florida. My mother was sucked into the "system" after I called the Elder Abuse Hot line to report several incidents of abuse at the Rehab./Nursing Home after an illness back on June of 2002. Even though I hired the "best" atty. on Probate in town- this guy represented one of President Nixon's daughter on a Probate Case; the judge appointed mother a professional guardian, and my brother who has been in a psychiatric disability for at least 8 years, guardian of her property ( he used to be an attorney with a law firm... should I say more). Now after mother lost her bilateral sight, it appears to be due to a medical mismagement which I reported to the appointed guardian and nurses, lost her home, everyone quit. She was left, blind, homeless, on a wheelchair although she can walk, and still crying to come home. The judge just appointed me guardian of the person, but also appointed a court monitor to my guardianship. I have not been able to bring her home... P.S. according to the Judge, she never appointed me guardian because I had never filed an application for such...the attorney had me believe that he had. I have letters and bills to this effect, however the statutes to take any legal action against him is up. Convenient? I could write a book, but for now, I just want to get the work out...I have written to AARP, not to mention the Gov., every gov. official you can think of, and media. UNLESS, more people become aware of the problem and pressure the media to investigate this Circuit Court and the Administrative Judge, NOTHING will happened.