Urgent Concern Regarding Financial Exploitation of Grandmother
Location: Saskatchewan
Hello,
I am reaching out for legal advice regarding concerns about the financial exploitation of my grandmother.
My grandmother currently lives in a retirement home and has a Power of Attorney arrangement in place. My mother previously signed over POA responsibilities to her close friend, who is now managing my grandmother’s finances.
As concerned grandchildren, we recently obtained copies of my grandmother’s bank statements and reviewed the account activity. During our review, we identified what appear to be significant irregularities, including:
Large amounts of money missing from my grandmother’s accounts
Thousands of dollars in cash withdrawals
Transfers into other accounts that were reportedly set up by the current POA
Based on our calculations, a substantial amount of money appears to be unaccounted for.
We are extremely concerned that my grandmother may be experiencing financial abuse or exploitation. We have previously tried to raise concerns, but believe my mother may also be involved or unwilling to intervene appropriately.
We are not the designated POA and are unsure what legal rights or options we have as grandchildren to protect our grandmother and stop further financial harm.
Could you please advise us on:
What legal steps we can take to report or stop suspected financial exploitation
Whether the current POA can be investigated, challenged, or removed
Whether we should be contacting police, adult protective services, the retirement home, or the bank
What documentation you would need from us to assess this situation
We currently have access to bank statements and records showing the suspicious transactions.
This matter feels urgent, as we are worried additional funds may continue to be withdrawn.
Thank you for your time and guidance.
Sincerely,
Me