130. Serena - A Startling Financial Abuse Nightmare!

Serena offers to speak about the financial "bottomless pit" she was put in. We cover financial abuse in this episode. It's a subject that never gets enough airtime. Imagine, the one person her ex-husband took most advantage of? His own wife!  It was financial abuse to the max. She says: “I have not told my full story (other than to the police, federal investigators, divorce attorneys, and forensic accountants). But if telling my story can help others, I'm ready.” A summary of what her husband did: Serena was groomed from before they were married using sociopathic and narcissist strategies to obtain trust and expose her vulnerabilities. In short, he... 1. used her name and social security number to obtain credit cards while keeping a separate PO Box to hide it all, then switching the PO Box to her home after he was discovered. 2. used her information to apply for FAFSA loans while she was obtaining her doctorate He maxed out her student loans, then moved the money so it couldn't be traced, and laundered it. 3. hacked her retirement accounts. 4. cashed out joint investments for cash. 5. attempted to cash out the equity in their home in her name ($300K). She literally intercepted the mail with the signature sheet. 6. stole money from a nonprofit for orphans and invested it in his own name. 7. was likely doing the same thing to his mentally ill adult son. 8. lied, lied, lied (of course, he did). When he was discovered, he left the state and the rubble. She has been working to clean this up for the last three years with the help of great community members, therapists, strong friends, advisors, and grit! Did we mention her ex-husband was a minister? Thank you for listening to our WHEN DATING HURTS podcast, Bill Mitchell WhenDatingHurts.com NOTE: If you are a survivor and want to share your story of abuse on the WHEN DATING HURTS Podcast, please email me: [email protected] The WHEN DATING HURTS book (in paperback, eBook, and audiobook) can be found on Amazon. HELPFUL RESOURCES: • National Domestic Violence Hotline – The Hotline.org – Call 800-799-SAFE • LoveIsRespect – Call 866-331-9474 • RAINN (Rape Abuse Incest National Network) – RAINN.org – Call 800-656-4673 • SUICIDE HELPLINE: Call 988 DISCLAIMER: The WHEN DATING HURTS Podcast is providing this platform for information to be shared. We do not state with any certainty that anything is true or untrue. Understand that what you hear is the viewpoint of the people sharing. The information, opinions, and recommendations presented in this Podcast are for general information only. Any reliance on the information provided in this Podcast is done at your own risk. This Podcast should not be considered professional advice. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices