Elderly Woman Abandoned in Polish Nursing Home in Fraud Scheme

Staff Writer, Oct 17, 2007

Janina Zaniewska, 93 of Palm Beach, FL, has been declared able to care for herself and will be returning to her life as normal in Palm Beach following a harrowing fraud victim experience.  Police report that Zaniewska’s neighbors, Aron Bell, 80, and his wife Henryka Bell, 59 allegedly kidnapped the elderly woman to Poland and abandoned her in a nursing home.  This alleged kidnapping is following the couple’s ability to gain power of attorney over the woman’s bank accounts and defraud the elderly woman out of $250,000 of her life savings.

Do you suspect you or a loved one is the victim of elderly fraud?  Contact an elder law firm lawyer to protect yourself or your elderly loved ones today!

The couple is being held without bond in the Palm Beach County Jail under charges of kidnapping , elderly exploitation, grand theft from a person age 65 or over, organized scheme to defraud, and uttering a forged document.  While in possession of the fraudulently acquired funds, the couple used the money to pay their personal expenses and bills.

The safe return of the defrauded elderly woman is due in large part to an alert and concerned bank manager.  Pamela Leikala, manager at the Regent Bank at Palm Beach Towers, became very concerned with the Bell’s interest in control of Zaniewska’s accounts in August.  When Leikala failed in being able to reach Zaniewska to speak to her about fraudulent activity on her account, Henryka Bell told the manager the elderly woman was in Poland and gave her a number where she could be reached.  When this number proved to be fraudulent as well, Leikala immediately notified police who tracked the elderly woman down to a nursing home in Pobiedziska.

Do you suspect you or a loved one is the victim of elderly fraud?  Contact an elder law firm lawyer to protect yourself or your elderly loved ones today!