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Eight Held Captive in Houston Home
- Thread starter AnneMarble
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not much to go on from the link, but sounds like someone harvesting disability checks.
so sad that some might be as old as 80. here's hoping they have a chance to enjoy their lives once more.
so sad that some might be as old as 80. here's hoping they have a chance to enjoy their lives once more.
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Yeah, that was my thought. It reminded me of what I'd heard happening in some household my college town -- in that case with people released from the psychiatric hospital.
And I think the people who write the "articles" on that stations websites might someday win a Pulitzer for "Best Investigative Sentence."
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So sad... 
This is sad. The elderly and children are the easiest to take advantage of. I'm surprised no one noticed something wrong with these men if they sat on the porch as one neighbor said.
It gets worse. A 31 year old man was arrested tonight. There is a tape which includes sounds bites from his arraignment. The 4 men held against their will were said to be emancipated, "with bones sticking out." The man beat one with a walking cane. When the man awoke, one of his fingers was missing.
http://abclocal.go.com/ktrk/html5/video?id=9179917&pid=9179634§ion=news/local
http://abclocal.go.com/ktrk/html5/video?id=9179917&pid=9179634§ion=news/local
So anybody want to explain how social security in the US works that this dick could collect it like that? That just sounds crazy.
Off topic, but nice job making that reporter look like an idiot by not editing her stuff.
Off topic, but nice job making that reporter look like an idiot by not editing her stuff.
Well, there might be several ways once he had physical possession of the checks. Perhaps he set up a joint account or had them had them sign or he forged a Power of attorney. He could then just withdraw the money when the checks cleared. Or, he could have an ATM card to their accounts. Not hard to get one.
Or, most likely, checks being a negotiable instrument, he could have had them sign or forge an endorsement to himself, and then just negotiate the check like any check. Folks accepting the check won't worry too much because the payor is good for it. So long as original payee is quiet,
it could go along for awhile.
(Yeah. I think that might have been a "live at the courthouse" spot. (not sure)
Endorsing the cheques is probably the simplest.
The bank might not have thought twice about it, if they thought he was 'looking after' those poor, old disabled people that he was renting rooms to, by helping them out by doing their banking for them, when they were unable to leave the house.
As to the neighbours not noticing, neither did the neighbours of those kidnapped girls.
The bank might not have thought twice about it, if they thought he was 'looking after' those poor, old disabled people that he was renting rooms to, by helping them out by doing their banking for them, when they were unable to leave the house.
As to the neighbours not noticing, neither did the neighbours of those kidnapped girls.
I lived in a place not unlike that for a while. It was not fun and I count myself lucky to get out.
It was when I was homeless and had been in the hospital for a while. It was the only place with available spots that I could be housed in quickly. As I recall, my memory of those times is often spotty, I signed an agreement allowing the owner the right to cash my welfare checks. She kindly allowed me about 15% of my check for sundries.
Luckily, I managed to get a slightly better place to live before too long. I don't think I'd have lasted long there.
I'm sure the authorities knew what was going on, and I'm sure they did nothing about it. Some because they don't give a shit and some because such places help meet a demand for housing for the disabled. A demand that is rarely even close to being met.
It was when I was homeless and had been in the hospital for a while. It was the only place with available spots that I could be housed in quickly. As I recall, my memory of those times is often spotty, I signed an agreement allowing the owner the right to cash my welfare checks. She kindly allowed me about 15% of my check for sundries.
Luckily, I managed to get a slightly better place to live before too long. I don't think I'd have lasted long there.
I'm sure the authorities knew what was going on, and I'm sure they did nothing about it. Some because they don't give a shit and some because such places help meet a demand for housing for the disabled. A demand that is rarely even close to being met.
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There are also US agencies that have gone to direct deposit or the recharged debit cards. In that case, once set up, the money would just "appear"in the accounts each month and there wouldn't be any people who would wonder where "Old Mr. Jones" was that month, and no forging would be necessary.
I fear the more we automate such things, the more this is going to happen.
On a related note, I saw a help wanted ad in my local paper for a gas station convenience store that featured, as a benefit of employment, "paper paychecks." I'd thought the ad odd at the time, but now I'm wondering if there's some larger issue out there I just haven't heard about...
I fear the more we automate such things, the more this is going to happen.
On a related note, I saw a help wanted ad in my local paper for a gas station convenience store that featured, as a benefit of employment, "paper paychecks." I'd thought the ad odd at the time, but now I'm wondering if there's some larger issue out there I just haven't heard about...
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