Larry J. Bekis, 51, pleaded guilty to one count of theft by swindle in Ramsey County District Court.
According to the criminal complaint, Bekis swindled his mother out of more than $100,000 and left a nursing home bill of more than $49,000 unpaid.
The charges said Bekis was give power of attorney to manage 83-year-old Nora Bekis bills and home because she suffered from chronic lung disease and progressive dementia.
Bekis received approximately $3,000 a month from his mothers monthly Social Security and pension checks. He then took out a reverse mortgage on her home and emptied her bank account. He didn’t pay her bill at the Rose of Sharon Nursing Home between March 2007 and March 2008.
The plea agreement calls for 30-days of jail time and restitution to be determined.
Many times, the elderly can be victimized by financial exploitation. Regardless of the cause, exploitation of the elderly should not be taken lightly. Because many of these people lack the means to defend themselves from such exploitation, the potential for financial loss and subsequent suffering is very large.
State and federal law gives each nursing home resident the right to manage his or her own money or to choose someone they trust to do this for them. Make sure that they’re giving their life’s savings to someone they can trust. If a loved one has been the victim of financial exploitation, they may have a case for nursing home abuse or elderly abuse.
Pitman, Kalkhoff, Sicula & Dentice, S.C. is made up of a team of Milwaukee personal injury lawyers, support staff and a devoted nursing home abuse practice. Our nursing home abuse and neglect trial team has successfully represented abused and neglected nursing home residents in almost every county.
