Paulette Kohler, a 95-year-old woman living in her rent-controlled Upper West Side apartment, was placed under involuntary guardianship despite having no documented evidence of abuse against her by her best friend, Inga Eggerud. Eggerud fought back against the allegations, leading to the guardianship's reversal and revealing potential financial irregularities in the system.
Paulette Kohler, a retired hairdresser, celebrated her 95th birthday in her rent-controlled Upper West Side apartment surrounded by friends. However, the longtime resident, who has lived in her home for 70 years, is facing financial hardship. In March 2022, Manhattan Judge Carol Sharpe involuntarily placed Kohler under court-appointed guardianship, disregarding her documented wishes and a then-existing $870,000 in her account.
This action stemmed from allegations by Kohler's condo building landlord that her best friend, Inga Eggerud, was under FBI investigation for financial elder abuse. The year prior, Kohler, with no surviving family, had designated Eggerud, her longtime best friend, as her power of attorney and beneficiary. Despite the lack of any documented evidence against Eggerud, who had worked for years as the housekeeper for a prominent NYC corporate executive, Barbara Goodstein, the court moved forward with the guardianship. Eggerud maintains that she only sought to ensure Kohler's well-being and protect her in her final years. 'They were attacking me like I was the worst thing on the planet. All I ever wanted to do was to make sure Paulette could live out her final years in her home. I promised her that I would protect her,' said Eggerud. In November 2023, New York's Appellate Division reversed the guardianship and reinstated Eggerud as power of attorney, deeming it 'improper.' Eggerud is now suing the parties involved in the guardianship for defamation and intentional infliction of emotional distress against Kohler. The defendants, who initially sought to dismiss the charges, deny the allegations. A trial court judge recently ruled that major claims can proceed against the law firm that originally represented the landlord in the guardianship petition. Barbara Goodstein, who used her financial expertise to examine accounting documents, alleges that they revealed over half a million dollars spent on home health aides hired by the guardian, a significantly higher amount than what Eggerud currently pays for arguably better care. Goodstein also asserts that Kohler is still owed court-ordered fees totaling more than $65,000. 'There is no visibility into this entire system,' Goodstein stated. 'There are massive amounts of money moving around and nobody can see where it's going. This case is going to end up breaking ground in this space because so many people have made an industry out of this.
Guardianship Elder Abuse Defamation Financial Irregularities Legal System
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