Misuse of Authority: Potential Hazard for Succession Rights
Various charlatans have honed their skills at preying upon the elderly or those who are vulnerable, weakened, isolated, or defenseless. Reports indicating foul play are proliferating, but pinning down evidence is often a difficult task.
Take the unexpected tale of Blanche Laurens, a remarkable woman born in Bogotá, Colombia in 1921. Alongside her brother Jean, three years her junior, Blanche ran a pharmacy in the 16th arrondissement of Paris until their retirement, living nearby in a family-owned building. Blanche divorced at 46, had no children, and never remarried. She shared a deep bond with Isabelle, Jean's daughter, living in the same building as her. "Blanche often spoke of Isabelle with admiration, expressing affection and mutual tenderness," said a former neighbor.
After her retirement, Blanche remained in her spacious fifth-floor apartment until her demise in January 2013. Isabelle, then aged 57, discovered to her dismay that her aunt had disinherited her in favor of two diocesan associations—those of Paris and Embrun and Gap, presided over by Monsignor di Falco. The estates, valued at over 20 million euros between France and Colombia, had been designated for these religious institutions.
"They wrested control from my aunt's life"
In June 2012, seven months before her death, a frail and bedridden Blanche dictated her final wishes. At the time, she weighed just 40 kilograms, had lost the use of her left arm, and struggled to walk. Her physical decline and neurological deterioration concerned Isabelle. The growing influence over her relative by her lawyer, Jean-Christophe Bernicat, further troubled her. During one of Blanche's hospital stays at the American Hospital of Paris, the lawyer's business card was attached to her medical file—a section typically meant for the emergency contact. The lawyer had also appointed a heritage manager and secretary.
"They took control of my aunt's life, her daily life, her health," Isabelle lamented. According to Blanche, she was being coerced to sign blank checks. "They're exploiting a helpless person, she's in critical condition, and that's all there is to it," she whispered to Isabelle.
In April 2012, Jean Laurens sought guardianship for his sister. Dr. Jean-Philippe Badin, the psychiatrist expert, concluded that "Blanche Laurens was mainly affected in her judgment; she professed total autonomy and did not acknowledge that it had been compromised." He suspected she suffered from cerebral degeneration.
Neuropsychiatric Examinations with Contradictory Results
It wasn't until October 2012 that Blanche named the diocesan associations as the beneficiaries of her estate, claiming that her brother and niece "had shown no love, no sense of family." In September 2012, a second medical examination contradicted the previous one. The neuropsychiatrist found Blanche "somewhat diminished, but almost physiologically given her age" and stated that she didn't desire any protective measures. In November, another expert even indicated that a protective measure could harm her mental balance.
At this point, Isabelle discovered an unusual item in her aunt's apartment: a questionnaire to evaluate a patient's cognitive abilities attached to the wall of the bedroom, along with a list of essential information, such as her income, assets, and the current President of the Republic—suspicious indications of manipulation.
Get Yourself a Lawyer: Detective Style!
Shaken after the losses of her father, mother, and stepmother, and suffering from burnout, Isabelle waited eleven years before filing a lawsuit against her aunt's notary for undue influence and for complicity in undue influence against the diocesan associations. These parties strongly denied the allegations and reserved the right to countersue for "calumnious denunciation." However, it was only in the autumn of 2023 that Isabelle finally secured, through her lawyer, essential documents: hospital discharge reports from 2010 and 2011, both concluding "dementia with frontal lobe syndrome."
Specialist lawyers like Johann Petitfils-Lamuria, a lawyer at Picovschi, see instances of undue influence like Blanche's every day, averaging "roughly one case every two days." As life expectancy increases, social isolation of the elderly intensifies, and families become less cohesive, this unfortunate trend isn't likely to diminish. Yet, magistrates increasingly recognize the importance of such cases and broaden the definition of vulnerability to encompass mental health and emotional dependence.
Crooks Don't Just Target the Elderly
Elders aren't the only targets of predators. Cleophee Herrmann, an 11-year-old girl, found solace following the death of her mother with a classmate, Josiane Seiler, and her sister. When the elderly grandmother passed away in 2008, Cleophee became the sole heir to the Franco-Swiss Schlumpf textile empire, with an inheritance of 11.5 million euros. Josiane, who had become like a mother to Cleophee over the years, squandered the fortune exorbitantly, even engaging in excessive sessions with a psychic—all for a price of up to 50,000 euros per session.
In October 2024, judges in Colmar (Haut-Rhin) sentenced Josiane, found guilty of abusing her weakness. She was ordered to repay 5.1 million euros to her former ward, now working as a waitress in a Turkish restaurant. The two Seiler sisters have since appealed the verdict.
To Protect Your Loved Ones, Equip Yourself
Savvy scammers use various tactics to exploit the elderly and vulnerable, such as financial manipulation, emotional abuse, and isolation. Here are steps that family members can take to protect their loved ones:
- Maintain close relationships and regular visits to monitor behavior and financial situations.
- Ensure that legal documents like wills, powers of attorney, and trusts are up-to-date and include trusted family members or professionals as guardians.
- Regularly review financial statements and alert authorities if any suspicious transactions are identified.
- Inform elderly relatives about common scams and tactics used by exploiters.
- Engage trusted financial advisors or elder law attorneys to manage and monitor financial affairs.
By staying vigilant, encouraging open communication, and maintaining a supportive network around vulnerable loved ones, family members can help protect them from potential predators.
- A growing concern in science is the phenomenon of business scammers targeting the elderly and vulnerable, a group often characterized by isolation.
- inequality in personal finance can exacerbate the vulnerability of the elderly, making them easier targets for financial manipulation.
- The dependence on others for health and wellness, particularly among those with chronic diseases like cancer or respiratory conditions, creates opportunities for exploitation.
- Exploitative business practices have been revealed in the arena of workplace-wellness programs, preying on employees with medical conditions.
- Mental health issues, such as autoimmune disorders and neurological disorders, can increase an individual's susceptibility to financial dependence.
- Advertising therapies and treatments for various skin conditions, without proper scientific evidence, is another way businesses exploit vulnerable populations.
- As people age, their finances and wealth management become even more important, but this importance also increases their vulnerability to scams.
- The aging process and related changes in eye health, hearing, and digestive health can affect one's ability to make informed financial decisions.
- Charlatans often exploit individuals, even in areas like sexual health, by marketing unproven products or treatments.
- Mental health challenges, such as depression or anxiety, can leave individuals vulnerable to financial exploitation, so it is essential to seek help if needed.
- Neglecting men's health concerns can make men more susceptible to financial predators, particularly in situations requiring therapies and treatments.
- scammers targeting the elderly often rely on medicine, promising miracle cures for conditions like cancer and autoimmune disorders.
- In some cases, businesses prey on those with certain medical conditions, like chronic diseases or respiratory conditions, to sell ineffective products or therapies.
- Victims of financial exploitation often suffer from various skin conditions, leaving them vulnerable to scams promising quick and easy cures.
- Estate planning and wealth management become increasingly important as people age, but the complexity of these issues can make older adults more susceptible to fraud.
- Financial scammers often create a sense of urgency, telling victims they need to act quickly to secure a loan or investment, preying on their emotions.
- Charlatans can exploit aging adults by taking advantage of changes in their hearing, making it easier for them to be misled.
- The scams targeting the elderly often focus on areas of personal finance and education, with promises of wealth management or investment opportunities.
- Financial predators often use emotional manipulation to persuade victims, particularly those with mental health issues, to make poor decisions.
- The exploitation of the elderly in the realm of sports betting and sports analysis is a less discussed but alarming trend, with scammers taking advantage of their interest in these areas.
