There is something bothering me and would welcome others opinions.
My brother is a bit of a conman, always on the make.
The issue I have is to do with his relationship with an elderly woman who is not connected to any of my family members.
I first heard of her a couple of years ago when said brother gave a Xmas present to my mother from her. I asked who she was and what was he doing with her etc. My mum said she was a woman that my brother looked after, doing her shopping for her but not taking any money from her. I asked my brother if this was true and he confirmed it. Knowing my brother, I asked him if he's in her will, he nodded with a smirk on his face.
Fast forward to the present, I met her for the first time a couple of days ago at a relatives funeral, I did not know who she was but we were seated together at the wake. I asked her how she knew my relative, she said she didn't know him as such but said she knew of him through my brother. I asked her name and how she knew my brother.
This is how the conversation went.
She was a customer of my brother but when her husband died my brother offered to 'help her'.
He offered to bring in her shopping every morning, she said she told him that wasn't necessary but he insisted. He drops off her shopping at 9am every morning, he picks her up at noon and takes her to his work place (he's self employed). She would be there until finishing time and then he would take her home. He also takes her for 'days out' when he's off work.
She has an indeph knowledge of my entire family, in fact, knows more about them than I do!
She is no fan of my brother's wife, whom she has not met. She was saying horrible things about her.
It was all deaply unsettling and creepy.
I cornered my brother and demanded to know what was going on.
He told me he is the woman's carer and her POA.
I have since been doing some digging, I have found out she is very affluent, has no children and one sibling.
I also found out that my brother owns a very large expensive house (brother moved years ago and I didn't know where to) and all of his children have trust funds - not bad for someone who claims to earn £23000 pa.
My first reaction is that he's scamming her, I was also angry at him doing so much for her when he did absolutely nothing for my late mother.
From the conversation that I had with her, my opinion is that she has been groomed for financial gain. This woman has full mental capacity, although she is frail.
Am I right in thinking this woman needs protecting by officials?