Son of Former Star Trek Star Files Countersuit on Mom’s Manager for Elder Financial Abuse

Kyle Johnson, 68, fights for mother Nichelle Nichols amid elder abuse case.

Los Angeles, CA, 2020-Aug-25 — /EPR Network/ —

 

Kyle Johnson, son of former Star Trek star Nichelle Nichols recently filed a countersuit against his mother’s talent manager, Gilbert Bell, accusing the latter of swindling assets from the actress’ Social Security, pension, appearance fees, and her home. The suit alleges elder abuse and fraud, among other charges.

In 2019, Bell filed a lawsuit against Johnson, which included allegations of elder abuse, breach of contract, assault, and intentional infliction of emotional distress. According to the talent manager, the actress insisted that he move into the guesthouse of her Woodland Hills property and that he was paying a monthly rent of $300. He further alleges that Johnson wanted to remove him and Nichols from the property in order to sell it.

However, the countersuit claims that Bell temporarily moved into the property in 2012 and continued to live there under an invalid reverse mortgage and a fraudulent lease. Johnson further alleges that Bell fabricated documents and told the actress lies in order to assume control over her assets and personal life.

Being Nichols’ only child, Johnson returned to California in August of 2018 to be her full-time caregiver. In January of 2019, a Los Angeles judge found that the actress suffers from dementia, and appointed Johnson as her conservator of her person and estate.

The countersuit accuses Bell with “consistent, malfeasant, and callous conduct”. Johnson alleges that Bell took advantage of his mother’s vulnerability and continued to do so as her health declined. He’s looking to hold him responsible, recover what has been stolen, and ensure his mother’s financial stability, health, safety, and enjoyment in the coming years.

The 87-year-old actress is best known for her role as Lt. Uhura, translator and communications officer in the Star Trek TV series that ran on NBC from 1966 to 1969. She also reclaimed her role in the first six Star Trek movies.

More than 10 percent of people over the age of 60 fall victim to elder abuse, according to the National Council of Aging. Financial abuse is one of the ways the elderly is exploited by the people they love and trust.

In California alone, there were 10,750 confirmed cases of elder financial abuse in 2018, a 176% increase since 2006, according to Adult Protective Services. It’s also growing at a much faster rate than any other type of abuse towards the elderly.

Unfortunately, it’s not just the greedy relatives and other close relations that take advantage of the elderly. Sometimes, it’s the insurers and financial professionals – the ones they rely on for expert, unbiased advice – who abuse them financially in the form of reverse mortgages, ill-advised annuities, and other financial products unsuitable for the elderly’s present situation. It takes an experienced investor fraud attorney to tackle cases where professional misconduct is involved.

An InvestmentNews survey in 2017 reveals that 62% of financial advisors have observed elder financial abuse at least once, and 39% admitted that the perpetrator was another financial professional.

Source: PR News Wire