The Wolffs At The Door
February 7, 2010 4:39 AM Subscribe
The Wolffs At The Door An interesting story about a couple of elderly grifters in Massachusetts. The Boston Sunday Globe published a follow-up article today.
Apparently the couple had been running scams for a few years and family members had initially been paying off their debts. Here's footage of the grandparents in court.
Apparently the couple had been running scams for a few years and family members had initially been paying off their debts. Here's footage of the grandparents in court.
So how much jail time are they looking at?
posted by RussHy at 5:26 AM on February 7, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by RussHy at 5:26 AM on February 7, 2010 [1 favorite]
"She seemed like a really nice lady. If I had to judge her personality, she was just a nice, honest lady."
As another elderly person, namely George Burns, said: "Sincerity. If you can fake that, you've got it made." Course, these oldsters got caught, so they don't have it made any more, but... they had it made for awhile!
posted by flapjax at midnite at 5:55 AM on February 7, 2010
As another elderly person, namely George Burns, said: "Sincerity. If you can fake that, you've got it made." Course, these oldsters got caught, so they don't have it made any more, but... they had it made for awhile!
posted by flapjax at midnite at 5:55 AM on February 7, 2010
How sad. I would love to hear their rationale. I suppose if the ship is going down, you might as well play duets.
posted by notmtwain at 6:05 AM on February 7, 2010
posted by notmtwain at 6:05 AM on February 7, 2010
It never ceases the amaze me the gall of some people.
posted by Leezie at 6:40 AM on February 7, 2010
posted by Leezie at 6:40 AM on February 7, 2010
These aren't grifters. They're a couple whose lifestyle collapsed, who couldn't adapt to their changed circumstances. Sad, not venal.
posted by orthogonality at 6:54 AM on February 7, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by orthogonality at 6:54 AM on February 7, 2010 [1 favorite]
These aren't grifters. They're a couple whose lifestyle collapsed, who couldn't adapt to their changed circumstances.
And so they became... grifters.
posted by flapjax at midnite at 7:24 AM on February 7, 2010 [4 favorites]
And so they became... grifters.
posted by flapjax at midnite at 7:24 AM on February 7, 2010 [4 favorites]
The only reason to feel pity for these people is if it turns out one of them has dementia.
posted by Nelson at 7:27 AM on February 7, 2010
posted by Nelson at 7:27 AM on February 7, 2010
Can someone explain how they managed to stay at the Quality Inn in Lexington for 6 months without being immediately kicked out after their credit card stopped working? Is this like the way landlords can't evict a renter without notice or something? How were they even getting service (i.e. the cocktails or the breakfast)?
posted by Big Fat Tycoon at 9:14 AM on February 7, 2010
posted by Big Fat Tycoon at 9:14 AM on February 7, 2010
Ah, it's that old love story: boy meets girl, boy loses girl, boy eventually gets girl, boy and girl become over-privileged bastards who don't give a shit about others and fuck over everyone they meet.
Warms the heart, it does.
posted by five fresh fish at 10:00 AM on February 7, 2010
Warms the heart, it does.
posted by five fresh fish at 10:00 AM on February 7, 2010
Can someone explain how they managed to stay at the Quality Inn in Lexington for 6 months without being immediately kicked out after their credit card stopped working? Is this like the way landlords can't evict a renter without notice or something?
Massachusetts law is very good to tenants. I assume because they didn't have a permanent address the hotel was, for legal purposes, just like an apartment and it takes a minimum of six months to execute an eviction in the Commonwealth.
They must have been mixing their own cocktails, but I think to get the breakfast you just have to show up. The hotel was probably advised to continue to give them normal services in order to not give the couple grounds to contest the eviction. I don't think continental breakfast at a cheap hotel costs the facility much per person anyway.
posted by Mayor Curley at 10:09 AM on February 7, 2010
Massachusetts law is very good to tenants. I assume because they didn't have a permanent address the hotel was, for legal purposes, just like an apartment and it takes a minimum of six months to execute an eviction in the Commonwealth.
They must have been mixing their own cocktails, but I think to get the breakfast you just have to show up. The hotel was probably advised to continue to give them normal services in order to not give the couple grounds to contest the eviction. I don't think continental breakfast at a cheap hotel costs the facility much per person anyway.
posted by Mayor Curley at 10:09 AM on February 7, 2010
They're a couple whose lifestyle collapsed, who couldn't adapt to their changed circumstances.
Or who thought they could run down the three score and ten clock on someone else's dime.
I know people whose retirement planning (such as it is) is kind of a variant on this. Scary, really.
(Sorry the Goldman Sachs thing turned out bogus. Always fun to find another stick to beat those guys with.)
Massachusetts law is very good to tenants. I assume because they didn't have a permanent address the hotel was, for legal purposes, just like an apartment and it takes a minimum of six months to execute an eviction in the Commonwealth.
Hm. So, arguably, if they waited to be evicted instead of just skipping out, possibly there could be no criminal charge against them? Or do you only get to do that once?
Just thinking out loud here.
posted by IndigoJones at 12:23 PM on February 7, 2010
Or who thought they could run down the three score and ten clock on someone else's dime.
I know people whose retirement planning (such as it is) is kind of a variant on this. Scary, really.
(Sorry the Goldman Sachs thing turned out bogus. Always fun to find another stick to beat those guys with.)
Massachusetts law is very good to tenants. I assume because they didn't have a permanent address the hotel was, for legal purposes, just like an apartment and it takes a minimum of six months to execute an eviction in the Commonwealth.
Hm. So, arguably, if they waited to be evicted instead of just skipping out, possibly there could be no criminal charge against them? Or do you only get to do that once?
Just thinking out loud here.
posted by IndigoJones at 12:23 PM on February 7, 2010
I would love to hear their rationale.
Probably something along the lines of: they worked hard all their lives and ended up with nothing to show for it, so hey, fuck it.
posted by Halloween Jack at 1:21 PM on February 7, 2010 [3 favorites]
Probably something along the lines of: they worked hard all their lives and ended up with nothing to show for it, so hey, fuck it.
posted by Halloween Jack at 1:21 PM on February 7, 2010 [3 favorites]
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posted by OmieWise at 5:13 AM on February 7, 2010