Social Work Case Report

On March 10, 2015, a social work from University Medical Center (UMC) the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department Abuse/Neglect Detail and to the Clark County Public Guardian’s Office stating they had suspected a patient who suffered from early onset dementia had sign a Power of Attorney (POA) and maybe getting taken advantage of by his representative. The social worker explained they had contacted Joanne Filippone, the defendant to make arrangement to place the victim into a long term care facility. The social worker believed the defendant may have been misappropriating the victim’s funds. On March 16, 2015, a detective left a voicemail for Ms. Filippone requesting a return call. A short time, the defendant called back and began screaming that the hospital staff at UMC

She explained had become aware of extensive purchases and cash withdrawals from the victim’s account since November 2014 during the time the victim was hospitalized at UMC Hospital. Ms. Filippone became angry and stated she was entitled to use the victim’s money because she had previously paid his rent. The defendant told the detective, no one told her she wasn’t permitted to use the victim’s money. She then began to cry and stated “I’m a good person... please don’t do this to me.”

On May 28, 2015, District Court ordered the Clark County Public Guardian’s Office to take temporary guardianship of person and estate of the victim. In July of 2015, the detective obtained copies of the victim’s bank records. These records were turned over to a LVMPD Financial Intelligence analyst who prepared an accounting of the money exploited from the victim by Ms. Filippone totaling $10,600.42 in cash withdrawals and point of sale purchases.

On February 26, 2016, the detective requested for a warrant to be issued for the defendant. On May 17, 2016, Judge Goodman signed a bench warrant for the arrest of Joanne Filippone. On May 19,