Elder abuse fraud totals over $90K

by Kurt Madar, The Triplicate

July 28, 2009

Members of a Crescent City family are suspected of stealing more than $90,000 from a 74-year-old man they were caring for, authorities said.

Kathy Schumack, her husband William Schumack, and son Joshua Brown, allegedly used the victim’s ATM card to withdraw its $500 limit nearly every day since March 2006, said investigator A.C. Fields of the Del Norte County District Attorney’s Office.

“In June of 2009 more than $12,000 was taken out,” Fields said.

After investigating, Fields fixed the victim’s normal expenditures at $1,000 per month or less.

“These were official caregivers,” Fields said.

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