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Family and caregivers detail alleged abuses in conservatorship of Samuel Maranto
Summary
Caregivers and advocates described how court proceedings led to loss of family access, medication changes and high fees in the conservatorship of Samuel Maranto, pressing the committee to investigate ties among fiduciaries, caregivers and attorneys.
Testimony at the Senate Ad Hoc Committee on Elder Abuse spotlighted the case of Samuel (Sam) Maranto, a 94‑year‑old Arizona resident whose family and caregivers say a conservatorship and related legal actions stripped him of autonomy and access to family and property.
Freda Alvarado, who identified herself as a caregiver with Caregiving for Seniors, said family members removed Maranto from a care facility after his wife limited visits and allegedly removed valuables from the home. "He was heavily medicated and was sleeping through much of the day," Alvarado said, adding that family members were restricted from seeing him and that decisions were made without his input.
Bill Chalmers and other advocates provided background they said showed a coordinated pattern: they described filings by Maranto’s wife’s attorney, expedited hearings in which capacity was not fully adjudicated, and replacement of prior caregivers with a new provider (named in testimony as Desert Care Management) that charged substantially higher rates. Chalmers told the committee the family faced court orders, conservative fees and appointments of fiduciaries that, in his view, were not fully justified by the medical records he reviewed.
Caregivers Chris Hamilton and Kathy Hamilton said they initially provided care at $20 an hour and were later replaced by teams billing as much as $95 an hour after the conservatorship was in place. "There was no difference in the level of service, other than he wasn't comfortable," Bill Chalmers said when asked whether higher fees reflected a higher level of care.
Multiple speakers named individuals and firms involved in Maranto’s cases (including Stephanie McCollum, Heather Fournette, and East Valley Fiduciary Services) and urged a focused investigation by the attorney general and law enforcement when warranted. Committee staff asked witnesses to submit documents and contact information for follow up.
The committee did not adjudicate claims or hear a defense for the individuals and firms named; the hearing served as a fact‑gathering forum and committee staff will review submitted records and consider referrals as appropriate.
