By: Elena Kibasova, Web Producer
01/08/2009
A St. Paul man is accused of using his elderly mother’s money to line his own pockets.
The Ramsey County Attorney says these cases happen so often, they’ve started a new unit to deal with them. The Elder Abuse Unit started on Jan. 1 and has already charged one person.
Larry Bekis is accused of swindling his mother.
"Taking advantage of her? No. Caring about her? Yes. And I love my mom," Bekis told 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS.
But the criminal complaint disputes that. It says Bekis became his mother's power of attorney, but never used her money to pay for her nursing home expenses at the Rose of Sharon Manor.
As a result of this investigation, we know the reasons her bills weren't paid, not her fault, but because her son was allegedly stealing the money," said Ramsey County District Attorney Susan Gaertner.
The debt at the home reached more than $49,000. Plus, he took out a reverse mortgage on her home for more than $100,000.
Bekis doesn't deny these things but he says his mother, who now has dementia, then knew and agreed to how he spent all her money in order to help other family members.
He'll still have his day in court and so will others. Half a dozen prosecutors in Ramsey County will now focus on enforcing elder abuse crimes.
"The baby boomer generation, as they age, they tend to have more money than generations before them, more temptation to steal and on top of that an economy that's very difficult," Gaertner said.
Gaertner says people never want to believe their loved one is taking advantage of them. She recommends having more than one person controlling your assets.
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