Santa Barbara Woman Pleads Guilty to Financial Elder Abuse to Avoid Prison Time

On Friday, January 3rd, a Santa Barbara resident agreed to a plea deal in a financial elder abuse case so that she could avoid jail time.

Rosemary Baugh, 57, reportedly stole more than $500,000 – potentially as much as $700,000 – from an elderly man with dementia and Alzheimer’s Disease. She was charged with financial elder abuse, elder neglect, grand theft, and perjury, and without the plea deal, she faces as much as 12 years in prison.

The plea deal in the financial elder abuse case was brought forward in part because most of the stolen money is recoverable, according to prosecutors, and also because Baugh reportedly suffers from mental health problems, according to her family.

Baugh was arrested on November 27th after an investigation conducted by the Santa Barbara Police Department’s Property Crimes Unit discovered she had committed serious financial elder abuse against the 80-year-old victim. The man’s only local relative died in 2011, and Baugh became his caretaker, then she later married him in order to have more access to his money. Two weeks after marrying him in January 2013, she divorced him, and sought monthly spousal support of $10,000.

When out of town relatives began visiting the victim after Baugh became his caretaker, they noticed that he was malnourished and living in squalor.

Reportedly, Baugh used the money she stole from the victim to purchase a mobile home, make multiple purchases online, the Home Shopping Network, and on QVC, and pay for psychic services.

As part of the plea deal, Baugh will surrender her mobile home – worth about $250,000 – to the victim’s family. She also gave about $100,000 to her daughter for a land purchase in Texas, and that money is in the process of being returned. Baugh is also required to provide a full account of how she spent or gave away the money, and annul her marriage to the victim.

Baugh also pleaded guilty to charges of perjury, since she stated in court documents before her trial that she and the victim had lived as husband and wife for the last 32 years.

Prosecutors say that if Baugh violates any of the terms of her plea deal, she will be sent to prison. She is scheduled to be sentenced on January 31st.

Financial Elder Abuse and Exploitation

Many states define exploitation as the wrongful use of an older person’s resources for another person’s profit or advantage. State laws use various terms to denote the wrongful nature of the act, such as “illegal,” “improper,” “unjust,” and “without legal entitlement.” Some definitions refer simply to the misuse of the person’s funds, property or person. Some states specify that, to qualify as exploitation, the resources must have been obtained without the older person’s consent, or obtained through undue influence, duress, deception or false pretenses.

In financial elder abuse, aging adults are taken advantage of by caregivers (related or unrelated). This can occur by home health care workers or at nursing homes and long-term care facilities.

Financial Exploitation includes:

• theft and credit card fraud,
• stealing identity,
• using real estate for personal means, and
• conning nursing home residents into purchasing a fraudulent service or product.

Financial exploitation might not endanger an older person’s health or safety, but it results in the loss of the person’s estate and self-esteem.

The Strom Law Firm Defends Senior Citizens against Financial Elder Abuse

If you or a loved one has been the victim of financial elder abuse or exploitation by your care facility, nursing home, caregiver, or a relative, contact us today. Come in for a free consultation with one of our nursing home abuse and neglect lawyers to discuss your situation and hear how we can help. 803.252.4800