99 yo woman scammed out of life savings
Donation protected
Ninety-nine year old Anne Zane is the victim of a horrific Ponzi scheme exacted by a family friend of nearly 45 years, Carol Pedersen.
My mom and Dad, Anne and Ervin Zane lived in a very modest area of Anaheim, California. My dad was a Holocaust survivor and sheet metal worker. My mom a retired hairdresser. My parents both worked very, very hard day and night scrimping and saving for their old age.
Carol was a 22-year-old graduate in Accounting from Cal State Fullerton when she met my parents. They engaged her to be their CPA and soon after their investment advisor. That was in 1996.
She was quiet, reserved and very smart. Carol quickly charmed them and became part of the family. She seemed very knowledgeable at investing and the returns she garnered were impressive. So impressive that my mom convinced me to also invest with Carol. I too turned over the my entire investment portfolio to Carol for management.
Year after year the returns got better and better. And year after year Carol entrenched herself more deeply with my family. My mother loved her so much she began to think of her as another daughter and to me, she was the big sister I never had. Carol was a part of our lives.
But Carol was hiding a secret. From the very start, she was never really investing our money. Instead, she had taken to pay her credit cards, real estate and invest in trust funds for her kids....Today my mom has nothing.
Ultimately, Carol Pedersen scammed nearly 50 people out of $40million dollars over 21 years. She was sentenced to 8 years in prison. But that is little salvation for we who received no restitution.
____________________
Mom can't walk, change her clothes, shower or make meals on her own...she needs round the clock care that we can no longer afford. It is heartbreaking to watch a woman who worked so hard to spend the end of her days this way and unable to help because I lost everything too.
We are hoping that you will find it in your heart to help support her in providing funds for caregivers.
My mom and Dad, Anne and Ervin Zane lived in a very modest area of Anaheim, California. My dad was a Holocaust survivor and sheet metal worker. My mom a retired hairdresser. My parents both worked very, very hard day and night scrimping and saving for their old age.
Carol was a 22-year-old graduate in Accounting from Cal State Fullerton when she met my parents. They engaged her to be their CPA and soon after their investment advisor. That was in 1996.
She was quiet, reserved and very smart. Carol quickly charmed them and became part of the family. She seemed very knowledgeable at investing and the returns she garnered were impressive. So impressive that my mom convinced me to also invest with Carol. I too turned over the my entire investment portfolio to Carol for management.
Year after year the returns got better and better. And year after year Carol entrenched herself more deeply with my family. My mother loved her so much she began to think of her as another daughter and to me, she was the big sister I never had. Carol was a part of our lives.
But Carol was hiding a secret. From the very start, she was never really investing our money. Instead, she had taken to pay her credit cards, real estate and invest in trust funds for her kids....Today my mom has nothing.
Ultimately, Carol Pedersen scammed nearly 50 people out of $40million dollars over 21 years. She was sentenced to 8 years in prison. But that is little salvation for we who received no restitution.
____________________
Mom can't walk, change her clothes, shower or make meals on her own...she needs round the clock care that we can no longer afford. It is heartbreaking to watch a woman who worked so hard to spend the end of her days this way and unable to help because I lost everything too.
We are hoping that you will find it in your heart to help support her in providing funds for caregivers.
Organizer
Kerri Zane
Organizer
Anaheim, CA