Senior living in Kamloops owed $200,000 from niece, says he is victim of financial abuse

KAMLOOPS — Christos Raptis once hoped to have family help take care of him in his old age. What he didn’t expect was to be living alone in a motel in Kamloops at 86 years old, with $200,000 gone.

“Now, I am broke, I’ve got no money. I’m hungry sometimes here,” he told CFJC Today.

In 2018, Raptis alleges his niece Sophia Raptis-Ferreira along with her partner Jeff Konkal, had convinced him she could take care of him in exchange for payment, taking $200,000 of Raptis’ money. That care was not provided and Raptis was advised he’d need a court order to get the money back. In 2019 Raptis filed a statement of claim in Ontario, where he was living at the time.

“$200,000. You (Raptis-Ferreira) didn’t work. You don’t help me. She was living with her boyfriend in Prince George, I was living in Ontario. How was she helping me?”

Court documentation shows there were multiple attempts to serve Raptis-Ferrerira and Konkal with the statement of claim at their home in Prince George, though none of those attempts were successful.

The 2019 decision out of Ontario ordered defendants Raptis-Ferreira and Konkal to pay Raptis the $200,000. To date, the payment has not been made and Raptis was made aware that the pair have sold their home in Prince George and moved.

“I tell you, if you catch her, I’ll be happy,” says Raptis, who wants to see action taken to ensure the pair can’t keep avoiding the court order. “I won’t rest. How long I’m going to live? A year, two years. Sometimes I don’t feel good myself.”

Christos Raptis has been living in a motel in Kamloops for less than a year, and wants to see his financial dispute resolved. (Image Credit: Adam Donnelly / CFJC Today)

Raptis is one of an increasing number of seniors falling victim to financial abuse. The Office of the BC Senior’s Advocate says it’s not certain whether the uptick is due to more reporting or more abuse. But Isobel Mackenzie says the conditions that could lead to financial abuse of elders were amplified during the pandemic.

“Seniors often have a dependent relationship that you wouldn’t have in your younger years, and that person that you’re dependent on is the person financially abusing you. A family member, a close friend, even a business that says, ‘I’ll take care of everything for you and relieve you of that burden.’”

It depends on what type of financial abuse took place — internet scams, ATM theft, or others — but the Seniors Advocate says people who have lost their money often won’t get it back. Additionally, the information the Office has on seniors abuse is only based on what is reported.

“Estimates are that, in a given year, five to ten per cent of seniors will experience some form of financial abuse. When we look at what is reported, it is a fraction of that. I mean there are a million people over the age of 65 and we’ve got maybe 10,000 reports in a given year for the whole province.”

Raptis is one of those who did speak up. He’s pushing for the financial harm done to him to be resolved, and hopes other seniors don’t wind up in the same situation.

If you feel you might be the subject of financial abuse, or feel a loved one may be being abused, you can report it to Kamloops RCMP at (250) 828-3000 or call the Public Guardian and Trustee of BC office at (604) 660-4444.

More resources on preventing and reporting seniors abuse and neglect can be found through this link.