Stan Lee accusing former business manager of elder abuse
A recent story online reveals disturbing allegations of elder abuse suffered by comic book creator Stan Lee. According to the story, Stan Lee commenced a lawsuit in Los Angeles Superior Court against his former business manager. The lawsuit alleges that Stan Lee’s daughter’s former business associate Jerardo Olivarez fired Lee’s attorney and convinced Lee to sign a power of attorney naming Mr. Olivarez as his attorney. Furthermore, Mr. Olivarez appointed a friend as Stan Lee’s lawyer without disclosing their pre-existing business relationships.
The lawsuit also claims that Mr. Olivarez transferred several million dollars from Stan Lee’s bank account without his permission. Furthermore, Stan Lee alleges that he unknowingly purchased Mr. Oliavarez a condominium in West Hollywood. Additionally, the lawsuit claims that Stan Lee was manipulated into donating $300,000 to a made-up non-profit organization in Mr. Olivarez’ name. In reality the organization was a for-profit merchandising company.
Perhaps most disturbing of all the allegations, is that the lawsuit alleges Mr. Olivarez had a nurse inject Stan Lee with a syringe and extract containers of blood. The blood was allegedly later sold as a collectible for profit. One such scheme involved stamping his blood inside comic books and selling them for $500 each.
None of the allegations have been proven in Court. Stan Lee is seeing a full accounting of all his funds and restitution. Finally, the lawsuit claims that Mr. Lee became the target of the above abuse in late 2017 while he was grieving the death of his wife of 70 years, Joan B. Lee.
Financial elder abuse is becoming more common as the population ages
The financial abuse described above is an extreme example of a growing trend in our society. As the population ages, many seniors are left vulnerable to predatory behavior by relatives, friends, and caregivers. Additionally, if an elderly individual has diminished mental capacity, he or she may be even more vulnerable. If the senior is dependent on someone for emotional support or care, that person may be in a position to influence or manipulate the elderly individual.
Consequently, on many occasions the abuser is someone who has a close relationship with the senior. As a result, elder abuse can take many forms. It can be financial or emotional. Extreme scenarios like the one allegedly experienced by Stan Lee are uncommon. Elder abuse is usually subtle and can occur over a long period of time. The signs of elder abuse are often difficult to notice. Additionally, the victim often denies there is anything wrong. If you suspect someone you know is the victim of financial or emotional elder abuse, it is important to seek professional help. You can contact a lawyer or a social worker to get advice on an appropriate course of action.
The Stan Lee story seems like an interesting one to follow. The lawsuit makes serious and disturbing allegations.
More on this story here.