For Immediate Release
Wednesday 18 October 2000
STEALING FROM THE ELDERLY
WILL NOT BE TOLERATED
COLUMBIA, SC – This morning, State Treasurer Grady L. Patterson, Jr. announced his office has been working with the State Law Enforcement Division (SLED) to halt a Saluda County man from defrauding the elderly of over $100,000.
A complaint was filed with Mr. Patterson’s Board of Financial Institutions (BOFI) approximately three weeks ago. The complaint stated that Mr. Joseph T. Palmer sold pre-need funeral contracts over several years in Saluda County, and did not have the money available for withdrawal.
Working with SLED, the BOFI has tracked over twenty-seven complaints totaling approximately $133,000 in the last three weeks. The money was found to be inaccessible to the contract owners and Mr. Palmer was taken into custody – yesterday at 4:00 p.m. Mr. Palmer was denied bail.
Treasurer Patterson said: "We will not tolerate people taking advantage of our senior citizens. We intend to vigorously investigate this man’s business and the claims against him. And, we will work with SLED to ensure that justice is served – if he has been stealing from our most vulnerable citizens he must be stopped, and punished severely."
Mr. Joseph T. Palmer has operated in both Saluda and Ridge Spring. The Board of Financial Institutions is now reviewing other contracts found at his place of business.
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For more information, contact:
David A. Adams, 803/734-0380