A grand jury for the New York State Supreme Court has determined that judge-appointed guardians who manage the finances and affairs of incapacitated people are poorly trained and inadequately supervised, leading to corruption. The jury said in a report the system needs to be overhauled.
The jury heard evidence for eight months, including that of a lawyer who was disbarred after pleading guilty in May to stealing from people whose property he was supposed to protect. He allegedly stole from a 67-year old mentally ill resident of a Far Rockaway nursing home and $272,000 from an Alzheimer’s patient.
The jury report found that basic financial reporting requirements are ignored and independent audits are rare, according to The New York Times.
