CommentsVOICES--I am a physician in Los Angeles. I am contacting you about a case that I reported recently to the LA Country DA.
And they have forwarded it for investigation to their Government Integrity Unit.
I provided them also with LA Superior Court documents as proof of the activity.
Here is my letter to the DA.
Honorable George Gascón:
My name is Babak Bina. I am a prominent physician in the Los Angeles community. I have built a career as a rehabilitation physician by helping patients regain their independence and dignity. My first job out of residency at Johns Hopkins was at Rancho Los Amigos National Rehabilitation Center in Downey for 9 years. I worked with those who could not afford insurance and provided the highest level of care to them as a physician.
Presently, I am at the Center for Rehabilitation at Northridge. I am also a mandated reporter with regards to abuse against those who are vulnerable. After witnessing and reviewing the enclosed court documents, I have come to the conclusion that the City of Agoura Hills and its privately hired attorneys are engaged in financial elder abuse.
As you know, financial elder abuse is the biggest under-reported type of elder abuse in our community. We always assume that such abuse is from an individual. However, it may also be perpetrated by a group of individuals with a common goal.
This issue has hit home. I have discovered and believe, after reviewing the enclosed court documents, that my own 72-year-old mother is a victim.
Unfortunately, we do not expect our local city government (City of Agoura Hills) to be the perpetrator.
The enclosed documents provide evidence for and lead me to believe that the City of Agoura Hills, its City Council, and its privately hired attorneys have manufactured a problem, sued my elderly mother in court, placed an unjustified injunction upon her property, in order to financially deplete her and deprive the rightful use of her property, in an attempt to take the use of her property, in an effort to keep her property undeveloped.
The City of Agoura Hills has contracted out, and looks the other way, when their hired private attorneys try to extract their attorney fees from her. These are fees, as you will learn from the enclosed documents, that they are not entitled to. They prolong the case in an attempt to financially damage her into submission, despite knowing that they have no viable case.
Honorable District Attorney, we do not pay taxes for these people to prey on the vulnerable. And I cannot stand by and see this unjust and abusive activity against my own elderly mother.
I humbly request a review of the documents provided to you. My mother and I will provide any cooperation you need in order to determine if a crime has occurred. The abuse has been and is ongoing for the last three and a half years.
Again, as a mandated reporter of abuse, I strongly believe financial elder abuse is taking place. It should not matter if it is a private person doing it, or a few in the local city government banding together to do it. Everyone is beholden to the law. I look forward from hearing from you.
With highest regards,
Babak Bina, DO
(Babka Bina is a physician in Los Angeles. This story reflects his views based on his research.)
-cw
