Woman found guilty of financial abuse of New York nursing home residents

Nursing home abuse is not only physical or mental abuse, it can also be financial abuse. Recently, 40-year old Channel Francis, pleaded guilty to identity theft of three residents of Parker Jewish Institute for Health Care and Rehabilitation in Queens, a nursing home in New York City. She is expected to serve 2 to 4 years in jail. Channel fraudulently obtained the identity of the victims though the help of an unidentified friend who was working at the nursing home.

In 2013, The New York Attorney General received complaints from 3 families of residents at the Parker Jewish Institute for Health Care and Rehabilitation about unauthorized transactions on the credit cards of their loved ones. After investigation, the Attorney General’s office found out that Channel Francis used the credit cards of the residents to purchase designer handbags and various electronic items such as high definitions TVs and Ipads.  Despite not being an employee at the Queens nursing home, Channel was able to obtain the credit card information through another person who was working there.  Unfortunately the investigation did not determine who the person was.

Financial abuse of nursing home residents shouldn’t be tolerated. If a loved one is a resident at a nursing home, you can prevent financial abuse by regularly checking all financial statements of your loved one.

Read the press release of the office of Attorney General Eric Schneiderman