How elderly dementia patients are unwittingly fueling political campaigns

October 23, 2024

Face of senior woman

(CNN) – A CNN investigation reveals how deceptive political fundraising has misled elderly Americans into giving away millions of dollars

More than 1,000 reports filed with government agencies and consumer advocacy groups reviewed by CNN, along with an analysis of campaign finance data and interviews with dozens of contributors and their family members, show how deceptive political fundraisers have victimized hundreds of elderly Americans and misled those battling dementia or other cognitive impairments into giving away millions of dollars — far more than they ever intended. Some unintentionally joined the ranks of the top grassroots political donors in the country as they tapped into retirement savings and went into debt, contributing six-figure sums through thousands of transactions. (Read More)