FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

District Attorney’s Office Awarded Elder Fraud Grant

San Antonio, Texas: Bexar County District Attorney Susan D. Reed announced today the award of a grant for $87,926 from the Criminal Justice Division of the Governor’s Office directed at countering fraud committed against senior citizens. The “Elder Fraud Prosecution Project” will fund a prosecutor assigned exclusively to white collar crime cases targeting seniors.

This prosecutor will work with community organizations serving seniors to educate them on scams being committed in the area and to encourage elderly crime victims to file cases with law enforcement. Estimates nationally are that one in five seniors is now the victim of fraud. Texas ranks third among all states in fraud victims, and fourth in number of companies committing fraud. The White Collar Crimes Section of the District Attorney’s Office has recorded over 20 million dollars of loss to seniors in the last five years due to fraud.

Unchecked, this problem is only going to get bigger. Seniors are a growing part of the population. Bexar County has nearly 200,000 seniors currently, and one in five households has a resident over sixty. It is projected that by the year 2050, nearly 42% are expected to reach age 90. The effect of these crimes on the senior population is more devastating than on the population at large. Many elder victims are reluctant to come forward to report these crimes, and with many on fixed incomes, with no time or ability to recoup these losses, even comfortable lifestyles collapse. For those with fewer reserves, elder fraud means going without food, medication, or other necessities.

This grant award continues the District Attorney’s commitment to stop those responsible for crimes committed against the elderly. Efforts made by the District Attorney’s Office in the last legislative session, in cooperation with local legislative delegation, resulted in the passage of laws to increase the penalties for these crimes. This grant award will enable more focused prosecution and public awareness of these same crimes.

For more information, contact: District Attorney Susan D. Reed at (210) 335-2342 or Cliff Herberg, Chief, White Collar Crime Division at (210) 335-2404.