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Kansas bank CEO Shan Hanes was sentenced to 24 years in prison for embezzling $47.1 million through wire transfers to cryptocurrency wallets as part of a "pig butchering" scam in which he was the victim-turned-perpetrator. His actions directly caused Heartland Tri-State Bank to collapse, resulting in $9 million in losses to investors, with the FDIC absorbing the remaining $47.1 million. Hanes circumvented internal banking controls with the help of employees to facilitate the fraudulent transfers between May and June 2023.

A fire broke out in the attic of Brandon Woods senior living facility in Lawrence, Kansas on Monday afternoon, prompting emergency evacuation of residents by facility staff and police officers before firefighters arrived. The fire was brought under control by 2:20 p.m. with no resident injuries reported, though one police officer was treated for smoke inhalation; the cause remains under investigation.

Shan Hanes, former CEO of Kansas Heartland Tri-State Bank, was sentenced to over 24 years in prison for embezzling more than $47 million between May and July 2023 to fund a cryptocurrency pig butchering scam. His fraudulent transfers, which also included stealing from a local church and investment club, directly caused the bank's collapse and resulted in $9 million in investor losses. Hanes pleaded guilty to embezzlement by a bank officer, a charge that carries a maximum sentence of 30 years.

Law enforcement in Kansas City reports an increasing number of cryptocurrency scams targeting residents, with scammers using two primary methods: directing victims to fraudulent investment platforms promising high returns, and calling victims to pressure them into paying bills with cryptocurrency. Clay County Prosecutor's office has implemented new investigator training to recognize cryptocurrency evidence and track stolen funds, while experts advise using U.S.-based crypto companies with regulatory oversight and urge the public to report scams to help recover losses.

A Nebraska middle schooler created a scam awareness flyer after his grandmother fell victim to fraud, which the Better Business Bureau expanded into a distribution campaign across senior centers in Nebraska and Kansas. The flyer, "A Senior's Guide to Scam Prevention," includes a QR code to help seniors easily report scams, addressing an issue where the BBB estimates seniors lose billions of dollars annually to fraud. According to 2023 data, adults 65+ reported a median loss of $109 per scam and were increasingly targeted through social media, phone calls, and online classifieds.

Scammers impersonating law enforcement officers are calling Arkansas residents and demanding payment via wire transfer, prepaid cards, or gift cards to resolve alleged criminal matters or enroll in fake rehabilitation programs, using caller ID spoofing and pre-recorded messages to deceive victims. Attorney General Tim Griffin advises people never to send money to callers claiming to be law enforcement, to verify caller identity by independently calling the agency, and to never share personal information over the phone. Victims should report fraudulent calls to the Attorney General's Office with details of the call time, number, and message.

Arkansas Blue Cross & Blue Shield provides guidance on identifying senior scams. The article emphasizes awareness and prevention strategies to help seniors recognize and avoid fraudulent schemes targeting their age group.

A Kansas resident was scammed by a caller impersonating a Kansas State Treasurer employee who claimed the victim had won a lottery jackpot and needed to wire funds and load money onto a gift card to collect the winnings. The scammer promised the treasurer would deliver the winnings to the victim's home. The Kansas State Treasurer's office warned that imposter scams are rising in the state and reminded residents that legitimate government entities never request payment via gift cards or wire transfers to release funds.

Kansas enacted the Protect Vulnerable Adults from Financial Exploitation Act on July 1, 2024, joining over 40 states in giving financial advisors, brokers, and investment representatives the authority to halt suspected fraudulent transactions and report them to authorities. The law addresses a significant problem: according to the FBI, scams targeting people 60 and older resulted in more than $3.4 billion in losses in 2023, with seniors targeted due to less experience with technology and online security practices.

Kansas enacted the Protect Vulnerable Adults from Financial Exploitation Act, joining over 40 states in giving financial advisers the power to pause suspicious transactions when elder fraud is suspected. The law addresses a significant problem: older Americans lost an average of $33,915 to fraud last year, with total losses exceeding $3.4 billion, and constitute 30% of consumer fraud victims despite being only 12% of the population. When advisers pause transactions, they must notify the Kansas Department of Insurance to investigate, with safeguards in place to prevent delays to legitimate transactions.

Kansas enacted the Protect Vulnerable Adults from Financial Exploitation Act, joining over 40 states in authorizing financial advisers to pause transactions suspected of defrauding seniors. Older Americans lost an average of $33,915 to fraud last year with total losses exceeding $3.4 billion, with tech support scams being the most common fraud type against those over 60, followed by data breaches, romance scams, and investment schemes. The law requires financial institutions to notify the Kansas Department of Insurance when pausing transactions and includes timelines to prevent delays to legitimate transactions.

Kansas passed the Protect Vulnerable Adults from Financial Exploitation Act, which requires financial advisors to report suspected fraud involving seniors or dependent adults to the Kansas Insurance Department, strengthening investigative tools to identify illegitimate actors. The law addresses a significant vulnerability, as scammers frequently target older adults for their liquid retirement assets, with only a 7% recovery rate once funds are stolen.

A Kansas grandparent received a phone call from a scammer impersonating their grandson in Hope, Kansas, claiming he needed $10,000 due to an accident, but the grandparent avoided the scam by verifying the grandson's actual location. The Better Business Bureau warns that "grandparent" scams use high-pressure tactics to manipulate seniors into sending money quickly without consulting others, and recommends taking time to verify requests before responding, regardless of the claimed urgency.

A Kansas City woman lost $15,000 in a grandparent scam when a caller impersonating her daughter claimed to be in jail and needed bail money; Lucia Hanna withdrew the cash from her bank after being instructed not to answer questions, only discovering the fraud when she called her actual daughter. Clay County authorities report that such scams are occurring daily and increasingly targeting vulnerable individuals, with law enforcement urging victims to report incidents immediately to help track and deter scam activity.

The IRS issued a warning about rising impersonation scams targeting senior citizens in Kansas and nationwide, where fraudsters pose as government officials to steal personal information and money through phone calls, emails, and texts. Scammers use tactics including caller ID spoofing, fabricated tax debts or refunds, threats of arrest or deportation, and demands for payment via gift cards, wire transfers, or cryptocurrency. The IRS advises recipients of suspicious calls claiming to be from the IRS to hang up immediately and contact IRS customer service at 800-829-1040 to verify any legitimate tax issues.

86-year-old Sandra Jung of Little Rock, Arkansas lost nearly $10,000 in a tech support scam after seeing a malware pop-up and calling what she believed was Microsoft's official number from a Google search result. The scammer convinced her that an erroneous $15,000 refund (instead of the promised $150) had been deposited and manipulated her into sending back nearly $10,000 to "resolve" the issue. Jung filed a report with the Attorney General's office but is unlikely to recover the funds.

Arkansas ranks #10 among the most dangerous states for online dating, according to a study by PrivacyJournal.net that analyzed FBI and Federal Trade Commission data on romance scams, identity theft, fraud, sex offenders, and other risk factors per 100,000 residents. Arkansas reported 4.6 romance scams per 100,000 people, 133 identity theft cases, 200 fraud cases, 606 registered sex offenders, and 926 reported STDs, with Nevada and Alaska ranking as the most dangerous states overall.

Shan Hanes, former CEO of Heartland Tri-State Bank in Kansas, pleaded guilty to embezzling $47 million in bank funds through a "pig butchering" cryptocurrency scam, where he was lured by an unidentified scammer via WhatsApp into making fraudulent cryptocurrency investments with false promises of returns. Hanes made 11 wire transfers to cryptocurrency accounts while lying to bank employees and investors, resulting in shareholder losses of $9-13 million and leading to the bank's insolvency in July 2023. He faces up to 30 years in prison, a $1 million fine, and $60.5 million in restit

A Kansas City resident lost over $1 million to a pop-up scam that displays fake computer error messages claiming device malfunction, then directs victims to call a provided number and transfer funds to Bitcoin for supposed repairs. Multiple victims aged 65-80 in the Kansas City area fell for the scam, which sometimes includes an offer to send couriers to collect the funds. KCPD is collaborating with law enforcement agencies nationwide to locate the perpetrators and urges victims to report losses to local police.

Following a state of emergency declaration in Arkansas, Attorney General Tim Griffin warned homeowners about post-storm rebuilding scams and reminded contractors that price-gouging prohibitions under Act 367 are now in effect, limiting price increases to 10 percent above pre-disaster rates for essential goods and home repair services for 180 days. Griffin advised homeowners to obtain multiple repair estimates, verify contractor references, avoid signing blank contracts, and never pay in full before work completion. Violations of the price-gouging law carry fines up to $10,000 and are prosecuted as violations of the Deceptive Trade Practices Act.

According to 2022 FBI and FTC data analyzed by VPNPro, Kansas experienced $24.4 million in losses to elderly fraud affecting an average of 68.6 victims per 100,000 residents aged 60 and over. Nationally, investment scams caused the largest losses ($404 million), followed by business imposters ($271 million) and romance scams ($240 million), with seniors being 517% more likely to fall victim to tech support scams than younger adults. Online fraud and bank transfers were the most common contact methods and payment methods respectively, resulting in $564 million and $570 million in losses to elderly victims in 2022.

This episode of Talk Business and Politics discusses the Arkansas banking sector, featuring Brad Chambless, the new chairman of the Arkansas Bankers Association, and Arkansas Bank Commissioner Susannah Marshall. The guests highlight the banking association's key priorities, including combating elder financial exploitation, supporting service members and veterans, and addressing cybersecurity challenges, while also discussing relevant legislation that empowers banks to take protective actions against elder fraud.

An Arkansas woman was arrested following an FBI raid in Little Rock on federal charges of mail fraud and money laundering related to fraudulent Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans. According to court documents, she falsified employee counts and payroll amounts to obtain four separate PPP loans, which are designed to help businesses maintain payroll during economic hardship.

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The North Central-Flint Hills Area Agency on Aging and Kansas Legal Services launched a free "Scam Scan" seminar series beginning January 24, 2024, to educate older Kansans on recognizing and preventing common scams. The seminars, presented by managing attorney Corinne Petrik, teach attendees how to identify fraudulent emails, phone calls, and text messages while providing practical prevention tips to protect themselves, their money, and personal information. Multiple in-person sessions are scheduled throughout April 2024 at senior centers across Kansas, with additional resources available through their website.

The North Central-Flint Hills Area Agency on Aging and Kansas Legal Services are hosting free "Scam Scan" seminars throughout April 2024 to educate older Kansans about recognizing and preventing common scams involving emails, phone calls, and text messages. The seminars, which began in January with high attendance, teach prevention tips to protect participants' money and personal information. Additional sessions are scheduled at senior centers in Glen Elder, Mankato, Ellsworth, and Wilson in April, with registration available at ncfhaaa.com/seminars or by calling 1-800-432-2703.

This is an educational awareness event rather than a news story about a specific fraud case. The North Central-Flint Hills Area Agency on Aging is hosting two informational sessions on Tuesday at the Fairgrounds Bowyer Community Building to educate seniors about volunteer opportunities and current scams targeting elderly residents. A Kansas Legal Services attorney will present information on frauds and scams, while the agency will also provide details on senior services including Medicare benefits, wellness programs, and in-home services; breakfast and lunch will be provided, and registration is requested by noon Monday.

Medicare fraud schemes targeting area seniors have included falsified claims for medical supplies, particularly urinary catheters that beneficiaries never received or needed; in one documented case, Medicare paid $14,613.80 to a fraudulent supplier (G&I Ortho Supply based in New York) for 2,000 catheters, leaving the senior responsible for $3,728 in out-of-pocket costs. Seniors are urged to carefully review their Medicare explanations of benefits and report suspicious claims to Medicare at (800) 633-4227 or to Senior Medicare Patrol in Kansas at (800) 432-3535, while also being warned about separate Social Security imposter

The North Central-Flint Hills Area Agency on Aging and Kansas Legal Services launched the "Scam Scan" educational seminar series, offering free presentations to the public on recognizing and preventing common scams. Two seminars were held in Marion County on March 20, with managing attorney Corinne Petrik providing prevention tips and strategies to help older adults protect themselves, their money, and personal information from fraud.

Medicare fraud targeting area seniors involves billing schemes for medical items not received, particularly urinary catheters; in recent cases documented by county aging officials, one senior's fraudulent claim involved 2,000 catheters with Medicare paying $14,613.80 to a fraudulent supplier while the senior's out-of-pocket cost reached $3,728. Similar scams originating from companies in New York, Texas, and Illinois have also targeted seniors with false claims for back braces and other medical supplies. Authorities urge seniors to review Medicare correspondence carefully and report fraudulent activity to Medicare at (800) 633-4227 or Kansas Senior Medicare Patrol at (800) 432-

This opinion piece discusses the surprising vulnerability of intelligent people to sophisticated scams, using examples including a New York magazine columnist who lost $50,000 in a fake government agency scam and a Kansas bank CEO with 30 years of experience who fell victim to a "pig butchering" investment fraud scheme. The author argues that rather than assuming we are too smart to be scammed, we should approach such threats with humility and vigilance, and ensure our intelligent loved ones are similarly prepared to recognize sophisticated cons.

The North Central-Flint Hills Area Agency on Aging and Kansas Legal Services launched a free "Scam Scan" seminar series beginning January 24, continuing through March and possibly April, to educate older Kansans on recognizing and avoiding common scams. The seminars cover prevention tips to help participants protect themselves, their money, and personal information from email, phone, and text-based fraud schemes. Multiple seminar dates and locations across Kansas are available in March 2024 at senior centers in Minneapolis, Lincoln, Hillsboro, and Peabody.

A Kansas City area man lost approximately $120,000 in a romance scam that began in March when a woman named "Lisa" contacted him on TikTok and gradually moved their conversation to the encrypted Telegram app. Over time, "Lisa" created various emergencies—car repairs, gas money, and eventually back taxes on her mother's house—to solicit payments via CashApp and Bitcoin, which the victim sent until a family member recognized the scheme. Law enforcement advises never sending money to people met only online and warns that cryptocurrency transfers are nearly impossible to recover.

A Clay County man reported losing approximately $120,000 in a romance scam after being contacted by a TikTok user claiming to be a woman named "Lisa" who eventually moved the conversation to the encrypted messaging app Telegram. The scammer fabricated emergencies requesting money for car repairs, gas, and back taxes, which the victim sent via CashApp and Bitcoin machines in the Kansas City area. Authorities note that cryptocurrency transactions make recovery unlikely and warn that romance scam victims often remain secretive about communications due to emotional attachment to the perpetrator.

Fraudsters in Arkansas and nationwide are increasingly targeting seniors by offering free medical equipment in exchange for their Medicare numbers, then billing Medicare for devices the seniors never ordered or needed. This scheme not only costs Medicare millions but can deny seniors legitimate coverage when they actually need medical care. Seniors should verify any medical orders with their doctors, return unsolicited items, contact Medicare to dispute fraudulent claims, and report suspected fraud to the Arkansas Attorney General or by calling 1-800-Medicare.

A Kansas sheriff's deputy, Richard Fatherley, was charged with second-degree murder and involuntary manslaughter in the July 2024 death of 50-year-old Charles Adair, a jail inmate who sustained broken ribs and a sternal fracture after an altercation with jail staff at the Wyandotte County detention center. According to the autopsy, Adair died from complications of mechanical asphyxia (obstructed breathing) when an officer knelt on his back while he was being removed from his wheelchair. Fatherley, who was not a certified law enforcement officer, is on paid administrative leave, and the prosecutor has requested an

A 60-year-old Kansas woman lost $14,694 in a romance scam after meeting a man on Facebook in November 2023 who claimed to need money for various emergencies, including being detained at a Malaysian airport. The scammer also manipulated her into receiving and redistributing funds through her accounts, compounding the financial damage. Salina police confirmed the report as part of ongoing elder fraud investigations.

The Arkansas Securities Department reports a substantial increase in financial fraud targeting elderly Arkansans, with older Americans nationwide reporting $4.885 billion in losses from 147,127 complaints in 2024, including 1,063 Arkansas victims who lost $27.25 million. Common schemes include social media scams, romance fraud, and "pig butchering" scams that build trust before encouraging cryptocurrency investments, with seniors being targeted due to accumulated savings, higher trust levels, and social isolation. The ASD advises elderly investors to avoid unsolicited investment opportunities claiming guaranteed returns, secrecy, or low risk with high returns, and encourages reporting suspected fraud to 800.981.4

The Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City reported that U.S. consumers lost $8.9 billion to scams in 2024, more than tripling from $2.6 billion in 2020, with investment scams and imposter fraud accounting for 60% of losses. Investment scams experienced the most dramatic growth with losses increasing nearly twelvefold, while scammers shifted to more effective digital contact methods like social media and mobile apps, and increasingly use cryptocurrency (40% of investment fraud payments) and bank transfers. Financial institutions and payment providers are urged to develop tools that quickly identify and intercept scam payments before they reach fraudsters.

A scammer impersonated a pastor at NorthRidge Church in northeast Kansas by sending emails to church members requesting gift card purchases with claims of urgency, though no one fell for the scam due to misspellings in the fraudulent email. The Seneca Police Department warns of this impersonation tactic, noting that Americans lost $1.1 billion to impersonation scams in 2023, with gift card scams being a common method where scammers pose as government officials, tech support, family members, or other trusted sources.

The Arkansas Department of Health warned SNAP users about circulating scams targeting SNAP benefits in Arkansas and other states. The department recommends updating account information, changing PIN numbers, watching for card skimmers, and verifying phone numbers to prevent fraud and to report stolen funds promptly.

Oklahoma seniors are receiving fraudulent Medicare enrollment postcards that appear official but are scams designed to trick them into calling unknown numbers during the Medicare open enrollment period. The Oklahoma State Insurance Department reports multiple scam types targeting seniors in October-December, including fake enrollment cards and unauthorized charges for medical devices appearing on Medicare statements, with similar fraudulent mailers also reported in Kansas and Louisiana. Seniors are advised to independently verify government agency phone numbers rather than calling numbers on suspicious mailers.

Kansas City seniors are participating in the "Show Me Seniors Digital Literacy Cohort," a new educational program designed to teach them computer skills and how to recognize digital scams. According to the FTC, the number of older adults losing $100,000 or more to fraud has tripled since 2020, with investment scams being the most common type targeting seniors. The program aims to protect seniors' financial security while improving their overall digital literacy and quality of life.

The Arkansas Attorney General is warning residents about a resurfacing text messaging scam targeting toll road users. The alert advises residents to be cautious of unsolicited texts claiming to be from toll road operators, which are used to steal personal and financial information.

Aurora Phelps, 43, of Las Vegas is charged with federal crimes including fraud, identity theft, and kidnapping resulting in death for romance scams conducted between July 2021 and December 2022, where she allegedly drugged victims and stole from them. Phelps has a prior 2019 Arkansas case where she was accused of drugging a woman and stealing her credit card, as well as a separate 2017 Benton County case involving a false police report; she is currently in custody in Mexico on murder charges and faces extradition proceedings.

Aurora Phelps, a 43-year-old from Las Vegas, faces multiple federal charges including fraud, identity theft, and kidnapping resulting in death for crimes committed between July 2021 and December 2022. Prior to these charges, Phelps was accused in a 2019 Arkansas case of drugging a woman and stealing her credit card, and has an additional case from 2017 related to filing a false police report. She is currently in custody in Mexico on murder charges and authorities are pursuing extradition while coordinating with local law enforcement on the Arkansas cases.

During open enrollment season, scammers are targeting people with unsolicited robocalls and text messages offering free incentives like groceries or housing to enroll in health insurance, then requesting personal and financial information to "confirm eligibility." KC Care warns consumers to avoid these scams by only initiating enrollment themselves and working with licensed, trained insurance navigators rather than responding to unsolicited contacts, with free navigator services available through official channels like GetCovered.org (Kansas) and ShowMeCoverage.org (Missouri).

An 86-year-old North Little Rock, Arkansas woman lost nearly $10,000 in a tech support scam on May 8th after seeing a malware warning on her computer and looking up Microsoft's phone number herself. The scammer convinced her that a $150 refund had incorrectly processed as $115,000 and pressured her into sending back nearly $10,000 to "reverse the damage," exploiting her trust because she believed she had initiated the call to an official number.