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Mandatory reporting law protects the vulnerable


Thursday, December 27, 2007

by Tammerlin Drummond, editorial writer for the Bay Area News Group-East Bay

The $23,095.58 wire transfer from Jack Whittaker’s savings account at the Antioch Schools Federal Credit Union was the first sign something was fishy.

A day after the money had left his account, the 82-year-old widower went in to the credit union to make a withdrawal. He was shocked to learn that his account was nearly empty. The money he thought was there had gone to purchase an annuity he knew nothing about.

After that, credit union CEO Rob Greaff and his staff started keeping a close eye on the World War II veteran’s account.

Whittaker had opened it back in the 1950s. The balance hadn’t been touched in at least five years. Suddenly, in April 2005, Whittaker began coming in to the branch and withdrawing hundreds of dollars at a time. A younger man was always with him, near the counter or outside in a black truck. He claimed he was Whittaker’s caretaker, but Greaff didn’t believe him.

Read the full editorial, which discusses Joe’s SB 1018 (2005), at InsideBayArea.com