Financial elder abuse is one of the most rapidly-growing crimes in the country, according to statistics. While some perpetrators of this crime are strangers, the majority of the people committing this crime are people that the senior knows, including family and caretakers. The Times Leader reports on one such case in Hazleton, Pennsylvania.
29-year-old Michael Kuchnisky is facing several charges after stealing tens of thousands of dollars from his father, who resides in a nursing home.
State police and the Luzerne County Agency on Aging say that Kuchinsky stole approximately $19,900 from his father. 79-year-old Walter Kuchinsky is a veteran who resides in a nursing home.
The son had limited power of attorney and was residing in the elder Kuchinsky’s home while his father resided in a nursing home.
The limited power of attorney was so that Kuchinsky could pay for bills. He failed to do so, including the failure to pay property taxes on the Eagle Rock property for three years.
Michael Kuchinsky instead forged checks to pay for a defense attorney.
He is facing a variety of felonies, including theft by unlawful taking, forgery, and failure to make required payments of funds received. +
Kuchinsky was arrested and then released on $20,000 unsecured bail.
He has a preliminary hearing scheduled for 11 a.m. on August 21st.
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