Financial Abuse Of The Elderly: Nursing Home Administrator Admits To Stealing From Patients

Screen shot 2011-11-02 at 1.56.08 PM.pngA former administrator at a Kentucky nursing home has pleaded guilty to multiple charges including: theft, exploitation of a vulnerable adult and tax fraud.

The nursing home administrator identified as James Tackett, confessed to stealing more than $300,000 from patients he was responsible for caring for at the Golden Years Rest Home (ironically a non-profit facility).

Authorities were tipped off to Mr. Tackett’s activities after several patients at the facility complained about not receiving economic stimulus checks from the federal government. The complaint was then passed on to the Social Security Administration and Department of Revenue who quickly learned that Mr. Teckett took it upon himself to take his patient’s funds.

This is not an isolated criminal venture for Mr. Tackett.  In 2009, he pleaded guilty to physically abusing a patient at Golden Years Rest Home.   A judge will determine the sentence for Mr. Tackett’s crimes involving financial abuse of the elderly in February.

Commonly ignored and frequently perpetrated by close friends and family, financial abuse of the elderly can take many forms including:

  • Taking money or property
  • Forging an older person’s signature
  • Getting an older person to sign a deed, will, or power of attorney through deception, coercion, or undue influence
  • Using the older person’s property or possessions without permission
  • Promising lifelong care in exchange for money or property and not following through on the promise
  • Confidence crimes (“cons”) are the use of deception to gain victims’ confidence
  • Scams are fraudulent or deceptive acts
  • Fraud is the use of deception, trickery, false pretence, or dishonest acts or statements for financial gain
  • Telemarketing scams. Perpetrators call victims and use deception, scare tactics, or exaggerated claims to get them to send money. They may also make charges against victims’ credit cards without authorization

***above types of financial fraud highlights from the National Committee for the Prevention of Elder Abuse (NCPEA)

For laws related to Kentucky nursing homes, look here.

Related Nursing Home Law Center LLC Blog Entries:

Elder Abuse Lawsuit: Woman Accuses Nursing Home Of Unnecessary Drugging In Order To Take Over Social Security Payments

Medicaid Fraud Costs Nursing Home More Than $375k

Chicago CNA Charged With Stealing From Deceased Nursing Home Patient

Nursing Home Bookkeeper Admits To Stealing Money From Facility

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