In December of 2008, Wasiuk had knee surgery and was in and out of hospitals. It was at one of these hospitals that she met Pauline Reid, a personal support worker who lived in a low-rent apartment in North York. When Wasiuk expressed her concerns about living in a nursing home, Reid assured her that there were other options. Instead, Reid offered to welcome Wasiuk into her home and take care of her. Wasiuk agreed, leaving behind her luxurious condo in Markham.
Reid had a real estate agent put Wasiuk’s Brampton home on the market at a listing price of $549,900. It sold for just $410,000.
Not long after, Reid declared that she was unhappy in her home and that she wanted to move. It was left to Wasiuk to purchase the new home. Together, Wasiuk and Reid settled on a big, red brick home in Ajax. Real estate documents show that Wasiuk paid $477,000 for the home. She paid for most of it with a personal cheque. A “mortgage company” loaned the rest to her at an interest rate of 9.79 per cent. The mortgage company, it was later found, had one director – Sukhjinder Gandhi – the same man who acted as the realtor in the sale Wasiuk’s home.
Wasiuk doesn’t remember all of the details of those days clearly, says the Toronto Star reporter. After a little research was conducted and details were pieced together, here’s what was found:
- The new house was registered to Reid, not Wasiuk
- Wasiuk was given a “life interest,” meaning that she was allowed to live there until she died
- The documents do state that the house could not be sold without Wasiuk’s say-so
- Reid was to look after Wasiuk for the rest of her life
- The $430,000 paid for the new home was referred to as an “interest-free loan” – Reid would put $800 worth of personal care towards the debt each month
- Once Wasiuk passed, the house would belong to Reid
According to the article, Wasiuk believed that she had sole ownership of the house. Not only had she been tricked into believing that the home was hers, but her caregiver had also mistreated her. Wasiuk was given minimal care, was often yelled at and was also quite often left alone. It wasn’t until a neighbour intervened that anyone knew what was going on. After that, it was still months before she received help. In the meantime, Wasiuk lost her home and over $50,000 in cash. The point isn’t so much what happened; it’s that it shouldn’t have happened at all.
Wasiuk is currently in the process of trying to get her house and life savings back. Read more about Wasiuk’s troubling story in the Toronto Star here.
I hate hearing stories like this one. We all do; but they happen and sometimes we need to read them in order to remind ourselves that they happen. And then we need to do something so they stop happening. This could just as well have been your grandmother.
How can we protect senior citizens, while treating them as adults and allowing them to make decisions on their own?
Where were the lawyers when all of this going on??Any time that I have purchased property my lawyer thoroughly searched every detail. Now get 2 schemers together and add a lawyer things can go wrong. Somethking else doesn,t make sense. Mrs. Wasiuk would have to have had some legal representation to close the deals and register the property. Pathetic swindlers!!!
Posted by: Murray | 03/14/2012 at 04:20 PM
As this woman had no family, it would be difficult to protect her.
Posted by: TheHeadmare | 03/14/2012 at 04:22 PM
This is not the first time I have heard of this. When I was growing up many many many years ago , this happened to the woman who lived a couple of doors down. My mom called the womans relatives about what the caregiver was doing and they put a stop to it before it got to this point.
People if you have a relative who has a caregiver make sure you keep an eye on the situation, even is you trust the caregiver.
Also this was on the program on tv. where a caregiver called the police about the woman she cared for disappeared. The police found her and she said she was afraid of her caregiver, her caregiver was arrested and found guilty.
Posted by: Molly | 03/14/2012 at 04:25 PM
So sad. To think we have people like that in our society. I am not saying that I did not know that there are people like that , just that there are, and that there should be a way of dealing with them. Terrible situation. Hope it gets resolved in the owners favour, and the crooks punished.
Posted by: Dave | 03/14/2012 at 04:27 PM
You think that's bad? My friend lives in rent geared to income housing with three kids - two are special needs - and her neighbours steal form her daily - cops keep trying to catch them - to no avail - why? because the entire complex where she lives is involved - they follow her around town, they harass her, they even steal her kids new shoes just to make a buck selling them on fb sites - this story about this old lady is just like her - she's alone and vulnerable and the people who should do something about it don't. People will do anything for a buck - it's horrific what happened to that old lady and it's even worse what has happened to my friend.
Posted by: Stacy P | 03/14/2012 at 04:29 PM
I cannot believe that someone could be so cruel, well yes I can. I am a person that is living on a low income and would never think of doing such a thing to anyone. What is happening in this world. Do people not believe in caring for one another, and protecting the elder from harm and dishonesty
Posted by: Louise | 03/14/2012 at 04:30 PM
This is something which has been going on for years. The elderly are offten victimized by "care givers". Most cases are those whom find themselves alone at the latter part of their lives, financially secure with no personal support. When suddenly a good samaritan or guardian angel appears to help out the senior in need. There are lots of unscrupulous "care givers" out there with equally unscrupulous realestate professionals out there to assist them. There should be laws in place to protect the more vulnerable in society but more offten they go unheard. Pitty for them and shame on the vultures and those whom enable them.
Posted by: James Fremeau | 03/14/2012 at 04:33 PM
My own sister started visiting my uncle in his nursing home. My uncle then in turn wrote his own son (our cousin) out of his will making my sister a benificiary and executor. He is now in the process of taking her to court and she has been removed as executor. My uncle's only granddaughter (age 9) has not seen a dime of her inheritance (he did leave her some money for university)nor has my cousin received any of my uncle's personal belongings such as his war medals etc. Needless to say, we are no longer in communication unless it involves my mother. And she is not the sole executor of her estate. We also found out that she "borrowed" money under false pretences from my mother as well.
Posted by: Sue | 03/14/2012 at 04:41 PM
This care giver should be charged and put away where she can not hurt anyone else. The Government Should help this lady out and get her home and money back. But that likely won't happen, as the Government is only interested in making money. not helping a tax payer.
Posted by: Jerry | 03/14/2012 at 04:41 PM
These calculated frauds are some of the few crimes that can truly be deterred with punishment.
Terry
Posted by: Terry | 03/14/2012 at 04:43 PM
This is dispicable. Our elders are the only thing linking us to the past and they should not be abused or ripped off. I hope that Ms. Wasiuk wins back her money and all the parties involved in swindling and elderly woman spend some quality time in jail. Maybe then they would understand what it is like to have everything taken away from them.
Posted by: EBS | 03/14/2012 at 04:49 PM
The way the elderly is treated is a dam shame.But then again it is taught to them by our Government that dont care about the older Canadians that paid there taxes for 50 plus years and now to hell with them.better they die as far as the government feels.
Posted by: wayne porteous | 03/14/2012 at 04:52 PM
I wonder if the house was sold to one of the agents "friends"? Probably resold for list price and profits split between agent and friend. It will catch up to them one day...the world is full of low life snakes...
Posted by: D. Lang | 03/14/2012 at 04:54 PM
It seems to me that crime involving money fraud is given the lightest sentence, i.e., fraud over $5000. Why should the sentence for those found guilty be the same for $5000 as for $400000? The penalties aren't nearly severe enough to deter those who make their windfall livings out of defrauding others. Out they come from jail, only to return to the same penchant for ruining other people's lives. In this case, the sentence rarely fits the crime.
Posted by: Jyl | 03/14/2012 at 04:56 PM
Where were the lawyers in all this? Where was the real estate agent in all this? Did no one question the scenario? Okay, maybe there is no legal responsibility on anyone's part but what has happened to human decency, to watch out for those not as smart or wise or healthy or young? Let's all stop turning a blind eye, let's all stop thinking only about making a buck and let us all "please" start considering each other.
Posted by: Theresa | 03/14/2012 at 05:00 PM
I have a friend in Edmonton who has gone through similar things. A so-called friend who is supposed to be helping my friend after her husband died and who is handicapped has been robbed by the "so-called friend". This woman has stolen gold coins, jewelry and all kinds of valuables. Very unfair.
Posted by: Jill Gibb | 03/14/2012 at 05:01 PM
The Real estate agent & Reid should both be prosecuted criminally, the house should be seized by the courts if one (or both) found guilty and given to the defendant for restitution fee's. This crime should never be allowed for a pardon, (as fraudsters are usually addicted to the thrill of the crime) Sentence should be 5 years each for both. (Fraud against an elderly person in the capacity of a caregiver) fot the agent, he knows better, seize everything he owns to pay for his time in prison. 5 years, period
Posted by: takeastand | 03/14/2012 at 05:01 PM
If our justice system stood for real justice, the courts would have the title transferred to this woman immediately and the caregiver, realtor (totally unethical-real estate board also responsible to nail this guy)and all lawyers involved (they should have contacted any family and had a doctors certificate stating the woman of sound mind and able to make own decisions)should be charged with fraud! PERIOD!!
Posted by: m saint | 03/14/2012 at 05:03 PM
What kind of a lawyer did she have, her choice or theirs.Sounds like he was part of the scam.
What the gal needs is a conservator she can trust.
Posted by: j williams | 03/14/2012 at 05:07 PM
Personal Support Workers who steal from the elderly should lose their credentials and be charged.
Posted by: Jill | 03/14/2012 at 05:07 PM
It's all about greed! The world is going to hell in a basket.
Posted by: Linda | 03/14/2012 at 05:08 PM
Please take a look at the name of the director and then the names of the people that have done the insurance scams in Toronto that have cost millions and tell me why the government does not step in to protect canadian citizens. The government keeps bringing in all these unwanted people to boost our economy and they are doing nothing but taking advantage of honest Canadian citizens!!!
Posted by: Cheryl Prosyk | 03/14/2012 at 05:09 PM
A womans daughter did this to her in St.Davids Niagara on the Lake.
Very sad piece of work.
Her own daughter!!!???
Posted by: tom simmonds | 03/14/2012 at 05:22 PM
This is terrible ! - I'm getting older myself and only hope my brain as well as my ears & eyes don't fail me to this kind of crime - I do believe in Karma ! - what goes around, comes around - and these sort of people will be getting older too - if the courts don't deal with these fraudsters - Karma will . . . and I sure hope they get it triple-fold ! - especially when the victim has no relatives to look out for them - Life is hard enough as it is, without these scums of the earth !
Posted by: Karen | 03/14/2012 at 05:23 PM
Same thing happened to my Mother by a half sister of mine! How about that for ungrateful? She and the lawyer did all the "prep work" and lied to the 84 year old about what she was signing. Hope Hell is preparing for their arrival!
Posted by: Island girl | 03/14/2012 at 05:26 PM