Exploited Elders
Illinois’ system for protecting older adults from financial exploitation leaves them more vulnerable to harm and isolation. Victims often end up as wards of the Cook County Public Guardian, whose office takes control of their finances and care in probate court.
Explore the Project
Injustice Watch reviewed thousands of pages of records, analyzed previously unpublished federal data, and interviewed more than 50 victims, family members, and experts for our project on elder financial exploitation.
READ MORE: How we reported on elder financial exploitation →
Impact
A project with impact
After our multipart series on the failures of the state’s Adult Protective Services division to protect older adults from financial exploitation, the state’s largest contractor hosted a series of town halls to discuss possible reforms.
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Additional Reporting
Former Chicago Citi VP sentenced to 30 months for swindling $1.5 million from older clients
U.S. District Judge Matthew Kennelly slammed Helen Caldwell for violating her position of trust, and ordered her to report in June to begin serving her sentence. Her case was featured last year in the Injustice Watch series 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.
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Injustice Watch reviewed thousands of pages of records, analyzed previously unpublished federal data, and interviewed more than 50 victims, family members, and experts for our project on elder financial exploitation.
Project Contributors
Reporting by David Jackson
Editing by David Kidwell
Photos by Sebastián Hidalgo for Injustice Watch
Illustrations by Verónica Martínez