August 4, 2025 #1 Local News, Information and Event Source for the Century City/Westwood areas.

Thoracic and Cardiovascular Charity Sues Merrill Lynch for $2.4 Million

Merrill Lynch & Co. Inc. (Thinkstock: Photo by Chris Hondros/Getty Images).
Merrill Lynch & Co. Inc. (Thinkstock: Photo by Chris Hondros/Getty Images).

Merrill Lynch is being sued for $2.4 million by a Seal Beach-based charity that alleges a woman’s investment adviser steered away money meant for the organization.

The Los Angeles Thoracic and Cardiovascular Foundation filed the lawsuit Tuesday against Merrill Lynch, the wealth management arm of Bank of America, and Banc of America Investment Services Inc. investment adviser James Schaedler. BAIS is a predecessor entity to Merrill Lynch, the suit states.

The complaint alleges financial elder abuse and negligent supervision.

A Merrill Lynch representative said the company’s legal team has not yet reviewed the lawsuit and that he had no comment. He said Schaedler has not been with the Bank of America since 2010.

The suit is related to a trust created by Juanita Earley and her husband, John Earley, a Santa Ana couple who were longtime clients of the Bank of America. Juanita Earley died in January 2012 at age 96.

The Earleys stated in their trust dating back to 1990 that they wished to leave their estate to charities when they died, according to the lawsuit. In 2005, Juanita Earley amended the trust to name the Los Angeles Thoracic and Cardiovascular Foundation as the sole beneficiary, the suit states.

Schaedler began to capitalize on his position as the woman’s money manager in late 2008, the suit alleges.

“Seizing on her vulnerability, Mr. Schaedler systematically insinuated himself into Mrs. Earley’s personal life,” the suit states. “Among other things, he stopped for visits at her home periodically. These visits soon morphed into a routine.”

Schaedler “anointed himself” as Juanita Earley’s part-time chauffeur as he brought her groceries, drove her to church and influenced her to give him a health-care directive that he used to change her doctor against her wishes, the suit alleges.

Schaedler also isolated the woman from her family and friends, put her into a nursing home, claimed to be her conservator and ordered that the facility not allow her to take calls or have visitors, according to the lawsuit.

In July 2009, Juanita Earley “purportedly prepared or executed documents in Mr. Schaedler’s favor around and after that time,” the suit states. “It was here — one month after amending the trust — that Mrs. Earley was declared incompetent by a facility physician after extensive testing.”

Schaedler received about $2.4 million from the woman’s trust after she died, the suit states. He has “attested to a spending spree of hundreds of thousands of dollars” from the funds that he obtained from the trust, according to the complaint.

The suit alleges Schaedler “knew he could get away with his self- serving methods involving Mrs. Earley because BAIS was neither holding him accountable nor otherwise subjecting him to any meaningful oversight about his client relationships.”

The 2009 trust amendment resulted in “practically eliminating Los Angeles Thoracic as the sole trust beneficiary in favor of Mr. Schaedler,” the suit states.

Before she died, Juanita Earley “expressed to at least two disinterested witnesses her fear of Mr. Schaedler and her distress at having been pressured to change key documents,” the suit states.

Related Posts

Despite Billion-Dollar Fortune, Beyoncé and Jay-Z Double Down on Real Estate Debt

August 3, 2025

August 3, 2025

Superstar Pair Is Now Paying Over $637,000 per Month in Mortgage and Taxes Music power couple Beyoncé and Jay-Z have...

Two LA County Deputies Charged in Off-Duty Scheme Tied to Crypto ‘Godfather’

August 2, 2025

August 2, 2025

Deputies Accused of Abusing Law Enforcement Powers for Beverly Hills Mogul One Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department deputy pleaded guilty,...

Metro Releases Draft Environmental Report for Sepulveda Transit Project, Public Comment Now Open

August 2, 2025

August 2, 2025

Six Route Alternatives Under Review for Valley-To-Westside Connection The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) has released its Draft...

National Night Out Returns to Beverly Hills With Police Demos, Kids’ Activities, and DJ Music

August 1, 2025

August 1, 2025

Beverly Hills Police and Fire Departments Invite Public to Family-Friendly Night Out  The City of Beverly Hills will transform the...

City Installs Crosswalks In Sawtelle District After Residents Paint Their Own

August 1, 2025

August 1, 2025

Los Angeles Begins Official Safety Upgrades Near Stoner Park City crews began installing official crosswalks Friday near Stoner Park in...

HARD Summer Returns This Weekend With New Sound Strategy After 2024 Noise Complaints

August 1, 2025

August 1, 2025

Sold-Out EDM and Hip-Hop Festival Runs Saturday and Sunday at Hollywood Park The HARD Summer music festival is set to...

Trump Administration Freezes $200M in UCLA Research Funds Over Student Protests

August 1, 2025

August 1, 2025

UCLA Says Freeze Harms Life-Saving Research With No Connection to Stated Reason Donald Trump’s administration has blocked $200 million in...

LAPD Honors Sgt. Shiou Deng as ‘Gold Standard of Selflessness’ at Memorial Service

July 31, 2025

July 31, 2025

Veteran Officer Remembered After Being Killed While Aiding Crash Victims in Brentwood Family, colleagues, and fellow officers gathered Thursday morning...

1,000 Additional National Guard Troops Withdrawn From LA as Federal Presence Continues to Shrink

July 31, 2025

July 31, 2025

National Guard Presence in Los Angeles Slashed Again Amid Ongoing Rollback Roughly an additional 1,000 National Guard troops have been...

Luxury Watches Stolen From Keanu Reeves Recovered in Chile, To Be Returned to Actor

July 31, 2025

July 31, 2025

Six Rolex Watches Worth Over $120,000 Were Seized in Santiago Police Raid Six high-end watches stolen from actor Keanu Reeves’...

Aging Mindfully: Zen-Inspired Senior Living Takes Shape in Simi Valley

July 31, 2025

July 31, 2025

Two Zen-inspired senior living communities are embracing the reality of aging — consciously. Ensō Village, open since 2023 in Sonoma County,...

The Getty Unveils Trellis Bar & Lounge: Sip Art-Inspired Cocktails with a Gorgeous View

July 31, 2025

July 31, 2025

New Alfresco Experience Offers Seasonal Drinks, Light Bites, and Stunning Architecture Visitors to the Getty Center can now unwind with...

Lulu Hosts Summer Tardeada With Guest Chef From Oakland’s Bombera

July 30, 2025

July 30, 2025

Chef Dominica Rice-Cisneros Joins Alice Waters for a Courtyard Celebration Lulu, the acclaimed restaurant located at the Hammer Museum, will...

Film Review: Together

July 30, 2025

July 30, 2025

By Dolores Quintana Dave Franco and Alison Brie, a married couple in real life, star in Michael Shanks’ gruesomely passionate...

Heidi Klum’s Tropical Erewhon Smoothie Drops Just in Time for Summer

July 30, 2025

July 30, 2025

Supermodel’s Limited-Edition Drink Blends Kiwi, Coconut, and Matcha Erewhon has debuted its newest celebrity smoothie collaboration, this time with supermodel...