PENNSYLVANIA – Pennsylvania is cracking down on elder exploitation.
Tuesday, Attorney General Dave Sunday announced the launch of his ‘Elder Exploitation Section’.
The service will focus on cases involving financial exploitation, deception, and theft from older residents.
Officials say the crimes are often committed by those closest to the victim.
“These are some of the most callous acts of betrayal imaginable. Often times the bad actors are family members. Nearly two thirds are relatives. In other cases, they may be caregivers,” says Dave Sunday, PA Attorney General. “These are individuals entrusted to offer protection and safeguards over financial assets — assets often accumulated during the senior’s entire lifetime.”
Sunday says one in ten seniors has experienced abuse in the past year, but only one in 44 cases is actually reported.