Guardianship Litigation: Son Arrested For Exploiting and Abusing His Own Father

On February 16,2017, the Times Daily reports about an Alabama man who has been arrested for allegedly “exploiting, abusing and leaving his elderly father in what one authority called “deplorable” living conditions.”  According to the article, Wesley Wayne McAlister deprived his father, who he was supposed to be taking care of,  of electricity, water, air conditioning, and food. Furthermore, he took his dad’s debit card, got cash with it, and used the cash to buy illegal drugs. Although this is not a Florida case, similar cases of financial exploitation of the elderly frequently occur in Florida. How can you protect your loved ones? Do you believe that someone you know has been financially exploited? Do you need a West Palm Beach guardianship or probate attorney?

An article in The Indianapolis Star quotes a 2011 MetLife Study of Elder Financial Abuse, which states that, “nationally, older adults lose about $2.9 billion each year through financial abuse and exploitation. Many times, the person who is financially exploiting the elderly person is a caretaker or family member. West Palm Beach guardianship lawyers know that this can make the situation very complicated and difficult. Here, McAlister was the trusted son of his victim. It is important to know that there are both civil and criminal remedies to financial exploitation of the elderly in Florida.  To read the entire article, click here.