Illinois Passes New Law Criminalizing Financial Exploitation of Elderly

Illinois Passes New Law Criminalizing Financial Exploitation of Elderly

January 11, 2012

Some of the most vulnerable Illinoisans will be better protected starting this month from those who would take advantage of them financially. Those who steal Social Security checks or defraud Illinois elders and people with disabilities have a better chance of being locked up under a new state law. That measure, House Bill 1689, increases penalties for such financial exploitation, in many cases making the crime a serious felony, depending on how much money is involved. Ryan Gruenenfelder, associate state director for advocacy and outreach with AARP Illinois, said most of these cases involve family members or caregivers. "That's why the Illinois Department on Aging and other elder abuse experts say that only about one in 13 cases of these crimes actually does get reported." Nationally, financial exploitation costs elders nearly $2.5 billion every year, and yet, Gruenenfelder said, many times it is treated as a civil case rather than criminal.

Journal Courier

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Editor's note: Will the exploitation of the elderly by the Probate Court of Cook County also be covered by this law? Lucius Verenus, Schoolmaster,  ProbateSharks.com