David Jackson, Author at Injustice Watch

David Jackson

David Jackson has reported on judges, elder financial exploitation, and the court system. Before joining Injustice Watch in 2023, he was an investigative reporter at the Chicago Tribune and the Washington Post, where he won a Pulitzer Prize, a senior editor at Chicago magazine, and a writer for alternative weeklies. His stories have sparked legislative hearings, exposed official corruption, and lifted the voices of neglected people. He was born and raised in Chicago.

Judges

Appellate ruling gets personal in back-and-forth fight with special prosecutor

Responding to an attack of ‘deep-seated’ personal bias, an Illinois appellate court panel refers a special prosecutor for sanctions before the Illinois bar and renews hope for one alleged victim of Chicago police torture.

by David Jackson February 6, 2024February 6, 2024

The exterior of a Citibank branch on Michigan Avenue in Chicago

Exploited Elders

Former Chicago Citi vice president pleads guilty in elder fraud case

Helen Caldwell pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud for bilking $1.5 million from elder banking clients in Chicago by steering them to invest in her slasher movie company, a story detailed in last year’s Injustice Watch series Exploited Elders.

by David Jackson January 12, 2024April 2, 2024

Judges

Unsealed records reveal new details about Illinois appellate judge’s alleged role in decades-old fraud scheme

Judge Carl Walker was never charged and denied any wrongdoing in mortgage frauds perpetrated by a real estate client. But a controversial 2003 raid on his law offices has reemerged in an effort to remove him from hearing a case.

by David Jackson December 12, 2023January 31, 2024

Exploited Elders

Citi wealth adviser accused of steering older clients into money-losing film projects

The horror film producer is accused in court docs of soliciting investments from elder clients, part of what experts say is a growing national trend of financial professionals preying on older Americans and their bank accounts.

by David Jackson August 18, 2023July 23, 2024

Illustration of an older woman sitting on a couch with a cane next to her, with piles of garbage and papers scattered around the room.

Exploited Elders

Probate court cases illustrate Illinois’ broken adult protection system

In a letter to a social service agency, the Cook County Public Guardian criticized a lack of state intervention in several instances in which older adults with disabilities were being defrauded.

by David Jackson August 18, 2023February 2, 2024

A colorful mural with faces of Black Americans and words including "legacy," "pride," "unity," "fellowship," "peace," and "community".

Exploited Elders

Older Black Americans are at higher risk for financial exploitation

Advocates and experts say there are a number of reasons Black Americans are targeted more for financial scams, including higher rates of Alzheimer’s disease, disparities in wealth and financial literacy, and lack of police response.

by David Jackson August 11, 2023July 23, 2024

A stack of file folders next to partially-redacted papers fanned out on the floor.

Exploited Elders

How we reported on elder financial exploitation

Injustice Watch reviewed thousands of pages of records, analyzed previously unpublished federal data, and interviewed more than 50 victims, family members, and experts for our project on elder financial exploitation.

by David Jackson August 11, 2023February 2, 2024

An old man in a red button-down shirt looks lovingly at and reaches his hand toward a bookshelf with bright green plants.

Exploited Elders

In Illinois, a system meant to protect against elder financial exploitation is failing

Cases are near an all-time high, while arrests and prosecutions have plummeted. Meanwhile, many older adults, like 91-year-old Paul Borik, are losing their life savings as social service caseworkers watch from the sidelines.

by David Jackson August 11, 2023July 23, 2024

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