Complaint Investigation Report

An initial 10-day complaint visit was conducted on 08/24/2021 by Licensing Program Analysts (LPAs) Patrick Shanahan and Nicholas Reed at which time interviews were held with four (04) out of six (06) residents and various records were requested for review. The Licensee/Administrator was contracted telephonically, and LPAs requested to submit the following documents:

1. Bank Records from past and current accounts for January 2019 to Present.

2. P&I logs for all residents who receive assistance with their finances.

3. Verification of a Valid and Current Surety Bond.

A review of records received revealed that licensee was not insured and bonded to handle residents P&I funds. In lieu of P&I logs, the Licensee/Administrator submitted hand-written receipts without residents' signatures and attached receipts for expenditures. The handwritten receipts submitted for the residents documented excess expenditures for special foods, charges for cable channels, grooming items, grooming services, clothing and furniture. Residents interviewed during the 10-day complaint visit denied receiving those items and LPAs did not observe described clothing and furniture in the facility.

On 09/20/2021, the complaint was referred to CCLD Audit Department for a Trust Audit and was assigned to Jacqueline Juarez, Audit Manager who investigated the following: Licensee/Administrator Misappropriated residents personal and incidental (P&I) funds. Licensee/Administrator did not maintain adequate safeguards and records for residents cash resources. Licensee/Administrator commingled the residents personal and incidental funds with facility funds. Licensee/Administrator handled residents cash resources prior to obtaining required surety bond.

While conducting financial auditing pertaining to the allegation of financial abuse, Auditor Juarez conducted interviews with the Program Manager for the Quality Assurance Enriched Residential Program with the County of Los Angeles and with the representative of Brilliant Corners and discussed the audit of residents placed at the facility and to clarify how the payments are issued to the facility. Auditor inquired information regarding the programs and their involvement with the residents and the Licensee/Administrator Tina Arutyunyan. Auditor also conducted a review of all documents submitted to the Department relevant to the complaint.