No matter how wealthy and famous an elderly person is, they can become the victim of financial and other types of elder abuse. In fact, having money often makes people particularly attractive targets. According to authorities, Stan Lee, who created iconic superheroes including Iron Man, Spider-Man and The Incredible Hulk, was one such victim.
Lee was 95 when he died last November in Los Angeles. His estate is reportedly worth over $50 million.
Now, police have arrested his former manager on charges of grand theft, false imprisonment and elder abuse. The 43-year-old man was arrested last month in Phoenix. Both Arizona law enforcement officers and the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) were involved in the investigation and apprehension.
This wasn’t the man’s first arrest related to Lee. Last June, officers with LAPD’s Commercial Crimes Division arrested his for making 911 calls “to further deceive Lee into believing he was in danger and needed to be moved from his home to a more secured condominium where [the defendant] had more control over Lee.” According to the LAPD, the man had Lee moved to a Beverly Hills condo from his Hollywood Hills home.
After that, the LAPD began to investigate the manager. Lee’s daughter sought a restraining order against him. That daughter — Lee’s only child — reportedly had a troubled relationship with her father. She’s faced accusations of elder abuse in the past.
An example of the theft that Lee’s manager allegedly committed involved an autograph session in which Lee made some $262,000. Authorities say the manager took all of it.
According to an LAPD statement, “The method of operation of financial-abuse opportunists is gaining the trust of the elder in hopes for the what may be a big pay-off in the long-run, or what is phrased as the ‘the long con.'”
Family members and trusted loved ones can prevent an elderly person from becoming the victim of financial abuse, but it’s essential to take action as soon as you suspect that something is amiss. California law is on your side. That’s why it’s wise to seek guidance from an experienced attorney promptly.
