HARRISBURG, PA — Pennsylvania officials launched a new statewide Elder Exploitation Section on Tuesday, a major expansion of oversight aimed at confronting what Attorney General Dave Sunday called a growing wave of financial abuse targeting seniors.
Joined by lawmakers and dozens of advocacy groups at the State Capitol, Sunday said the new unit will focus on cases in which older residents are deceived, defrauded, or stripped of their savings — often by the very people entrusted to protect them. The section will investigate crimes involving relatives, caregivers, conservators, and individuals holding power of attorney.
“These cases are as heartbreaking as they are financially devastating to the senior victims, who are oftentimes deceived out of their life savings by someone they trust,” Sunday said. “Our mission is to protect seniors by raising awareness to prevent these crimes and deterring criminal behavior by holding accountable those who do harm.”
Led by Chief Deputy Attorney General Elizabeth Schneider and Chief Agent Lucas Miller, the section was formed by reassigning staff already experienced in elder law, allowing it to launch with an active caseload of roughly 30 investigations.
State officials said the section will fill a critical gap. Many municipal police departments lack the resources to take on complex elder exploitation cases, which require detailed forensic reviews of financial records and legal documents. Referrals are expected from local police, county agencies, state departments, federal authorities, and others.
The Attorney General’s Office emphasized that the new unit will work alongside existing divisions that already assist seniors, including Consumer Protection, the Health Care Section, the Office of Public Engagement, and the Medicaid Fraud Control Section.
Tuesday’s announcement drew a broad coalition of supporters, including Secretary of Aging Jason Kavulich, Secretary of Banking and Securities Wendy Spicher, state senators Wayne Langerholc Jr. and Maria Collett, and state representatives Maureen Madden and Steven Mentzer.
Representatives from AARP, SeniorLAW Center, the Alzheimer’s Association, NOVA, LeadingAge PA, the Pennsylvania Health Care Association, Pennsylvania Home Care Association, Pennsylvania Bankers Association, The American Legion, and the VFW Department of Pennsylvania also attended.
For the latest news on everything happening in Chester County and the surrounding area, be sure to follow MyChesCo on Google News and MSN.