Elder Financial Abuse Isn't such a Bad Crime! It's a Business

HARRISBURG - A Pennsylvania Homeward Bound allegedly deceived elderly Pennsylvanians into purchasing a non-medical home health care service program by marketing it as a long-term care insurance policy.

"Homeward Bound deliberately deceived elderly Pennsylvanians living on a fixed income by selling them a product they believed would keep them from entering a nursing home or assisted living facility," Corbett said. "It is appalling to believe that a company could prey on the fears of some of our most vulnerable citizens to line its own pockets."

Corbett said Homeward Bound allegedly used current and former insurance agents to market and sell its non-medical home care program to elderly consumers who did not qualify for or were looking for a cheaper alternative to long-term care insurance.

Homeward Bound and its affiliates have been fined $249,000 for Consumer Protection Law violations. This amount will not be collected, provided Homeward Bound and its affiliates comply with the AVC; conduct no trade or commerce within or from Pennsylvania on or before Dec. 31, 2007; and surrender or withdraw all charters, certificates of authority, etc. within six months.

Source: Pennsylvania Attorney General

Related Posts: Former Social Worker from Dept of Health and Human Services Joins the Fray Stealing from Elders : Albert Bouchard, 47, of Limestone, who pleaded guilty to theft, was sentenced Friday in Aroostook County Superior Court to two years in prison, with all but 30 days suspended.

Other related posts : Bilking the Elderly, With Corporate Assistance
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You got love this a social worker who worked for the state pleads guilty to robbing elders and he is sentenced to jail and all but 30 days of his sentence is suspended. - A Pennsylvania Homeward Bound company is found guilty of defrauding elders for years and is fined, but the Amount will not be collected!

Who do these people know ? How do they become eligible for preferential treatment ?

Can you imagine if a mother of four is found guilty of drugs but her sentences is not carried out ! Seventy-five (75%) of imprisoned women across the country are mothers! The federal Bureau of Justice Statistics announced recently that the nation’s prison and jail population grew 2.8 percent from midyear 2005 to midyear 2006, the largest rise since 2000, and that the number of incarcerated women grew at almost double the overall rate, to a total of 111,403.

The Department of Justice found that women were over represented among low level drug offenders who were non-violent, had minimal or no prior criminal history, and were not principal figures in criminal organizations or activities, but nevertheless received sentences similar to “high level” drug offenders under the mandatory sentencing policies. From 1986 to 1996 the number of women sentenced to state prison for drug crimes increased ten-fold. Nationally one in three women in prison and one in four women in jail are incarcerated for violating a non violent drug offense.

The number of women sentences to state prison increased ten-fold. Elder abusers are given prison term but it is suspended, Companies that defraud elders are fined, but they don't have to pay, Killers like the one that murdered Florida police officer Ronald Harrison are given $150.00 bail and put out on the street, causing their girlfriends to call 911 and beg for the police to put these guys in jail! Yet the number of women , 75% of which are mothers sentenced to state prison increases ten fold!

As a Group , How do They Do it to Get this Preferential Treatment-?

Perhaps the signal that some lawmakers want to send out is that elder financial abuse isn't such a bad crime! It's a business and a very lucrative one at that !