Fraud and financial abuse of the elderly is more widespread than you may realize. It may even be on the rise due to longer life expectancy and an aging population. Sadly, elder fraud and abuse appears in many forms, affecting millions of senior citizens and their families throughout the United States. These crimes go largely unseen because many seniors do not recognize when it happens to them or may be too ashamed to speak up. The State of Kansas and its lawmakers are standing up against elder law fraud and abuse by drafting measures that create harsher punishments for future offenders.
A new law signed by Governor Brownback of Kansas, is a “first step in the right direction,” to better protect Kansas senior citizens against fraud and financial abuse, said Attorney General Derek Schmidt. The law applies when a victim of financial abuse is over the age of 70-years-old and it “substantially enhances” penalties for stealing from an elderly person. If convicted of large-scale financial abuse, an offender could face more than 40 years in prison. Additionally, the new law makes it a criminal offense to misuse a trust or power of attorney to misappropriate an elder person’s life savings. Continue reading “Kansas Toughens Penalties for Elder Fraud”
