A Grieving Family in Crisis

While researching the financial exploitation of the elderly, I met a wonderful family. The Richmond Family. Some of them live in my area and the other in Dallas. They wanted me to tell their story in my own words, without continuous quotes. They requested only factual and provable information be written here.

James is one of a set of twin brothers. Born in the Panama Canal Zone before the United States relinquished any rights to it, back in the 50's. Their father was a retired army WW11 veteran, working for the FAA in the Canal Zone. He fell in love and married a beautiful, petite Panamanian woman and had two sons-twins. Carmen, a widow had a son from the marriage.

James Sr. took him as his own son. He continued to provide for him and love him. His own sons came later. Through the years, James and his brother were about 10, their mom and dad decided to adopt a little girl. She was in a destitute situation with little hope of ever being able to rise out of the terrible conditions she was in. Full of worms and disease, the family adopted her and gave her their name. They renamed her first name to Vivian, after James Sr's mother.

Upon graduation, Spencer, the other twin, moved to the United States. The next year, his dad retired from the FAA and moved the rest of the family to the States. Through the many years they lived in Panama, James Sr. saved and invested and managed to put away a large retirement package. Insurance, money, real estate and good credit. When they got to the U.S. they were able to purchase a house and be financially secure to live out their years.

James Jr. had moved out and doing the things that young men do to put their lives together for the future. The same principals his dad had lived by were the same principals both guys were trying to follow. Vivian grew up and seemed to have the same desire to succeed as her adoptive brothers. James Sr. died in 1983 and everything was different. Although he left Carmen set for life and Vivian with many opportunities for education and temporary financial support for her, it was to prove not to be enough to satisfy the greed in her.