Calistoga councilmember, also a broker, accused in lawsuit of financial elder abuse

Scott Cooper, a Calistoga city councilmember and real estate broker, is being sued for allegedly exploiting 84-year-old Cheryl West's cognitive decline to secure a reverse mortgage that profited him. The lawsuit, initiated by West's daughter-in-law Marla Faust, claims Cooper preyed on West's vulnerability, knowing she lacked the capacity to consent to the loan. Faust asserts that during Cooper's initial visit, she explicitly informed him that her mother-in-law did not want a reverse mortgage. Despite this, Cooper allegedly persisted in pushing the sale, leading to accusations of financial elder abuse, constructive fraud, and unfair business practices. The suit seeks to annul the mortgage and demands damages of at least $125,000.

Cooper has publicly denied these allegations, maintaining that West was mentally competent and pursued the loan on her own. The case raises significant issues surrounding the protection of elderly individuals in financial transactions. Cooper's election in 2022 and subsequent term, set to end in 2026, adds to the local implications of this lawsuit.