Scatamacchia Funeral Home

Photo to go with 3-part elderly abuse series.Item Staff photo by Jim Wilson (Jim Wilson)This is the seond in a three-day series on elder abuse, a growing concern as our population ages. In this series, we tell the stories of victims of emotional abuse, reveal disturbing data on how many seniors are affected, and detail the state’s efforts to combat abuse. We detail cases of abuse and the challenges of prosecuting them. We also examine financial exploitation of seniors and how to identify it.If you or someone you know is being abused, there are ways to get help. Call the Elder Abuse Hotline at 800-922-2275 or reach out online at mass.gov/elders.Rev. Kendrick Doe was blindsided when a voice on the phone said his grandson was being held in a California jail.The caller, who identified himself as a San Diego police officer, told the 78-year-old grandfather that his grandson was arrested when detectives found a gun in his car that had been used in homicide. He was instructed to send $43,000 to secure his release on bail. Doe mailed the cash only to discover the call was a hoax.While thousands of seniors suffer injuries at the hands of family and other caregivers, many more are the victims of financial fraud.Doe, a retired social worker and pastor called Haverhill police about the scam and was instrumental in bringing the thief to justice. Police coaxed him to talk to the suspect with hopes of making an arrest.Authorities said the scammer, later identified as Sami Saloumi, a 32-year-old Canadian citizen, was part of an international crime ring that defrauds elders.After Saloumi received the initial cash, police said the suspect requested an additional $150,000 from Doe, and if not, his grandson would be sent to Mexico for trial.Doe told Saloumi he managed to secure $62,350 from an investment and was working on getting the rest. Police said Saloumi told the victim to send the cash to an address in Laguna Hills, a city in Orange County, where police made the arrest.He was found guilty in Salem District Court of conspiracy and rece... (Daily Item)