Report: Kornak Bought in Bulk but Gave Elderly Woman Only One Roll of Toilet Paper

By Tom Gantert

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (Michigan News Source) – The notes from a state investigator looking into embezzlement allegations against Traci Kornak show she charged bulk purchases to an elderly woman’s account but only gave the woman a single roll of toilet paper.

That’s just one of the details that emerged from a House Oversight Committee hearing investigating Kornak’s role as the court-appointed conservator for an elderly mentally challenged woman named Rose Burd. The committee hearing testimony came from the notes of a State of Michigan investigator with Adult Protective Services. Last week, Kornak was criminally charged with embezzlement by the Kent County Prosecutor’s Office.

An accounting firm found as much as $419,640 in questionable charges by Kornak during her duties as a conservator. Burd died in April 2025.

The investigation showed how Burd’s caregivers said in June 2023 that they noticed that receipts from Costco showed bulk items being purchased, but that Burd only received a single roll of toilet paper or paper towel. They noticed the same thing with bulk purchases of shampoo, body wash, wet wipes and frozen food.

The investigation also showed receipts from Costco that Burd had paid for that included noodles and alcohol. The caregivers told the state investigator that Burd didn’t drink alcohol and had no stove and didn’t eat noodles. The caretaker also said that many of the things on the Costco receipt couldn’t be found in Burd’s apartment at an independent care facility.

Kornak was cleared in two separate investigations by the Attorney General’s office of any wrongdoing. According to testimony at the House Oversight Committee, when Kornak was investigated by the Kent County Sheriff’s Department, she immediately told them she had already been cleared by the AG’s office. Kornak served on Attorney General Dana Nessel’s transition team and was also the treasurer for the state Democratic Party. Nessel was accused of having a conflict of interest in the case because she asked for updates and had communications with her staff about the investigation into Kornak, who had told people she was best friends with Gov. Gretchen Whitmer. 

Full Article & Source:
Report: Kornak Bought in Bulk but Gave Elderly Woman Only One Roll of Toilet Paper 

Seven Arrested for Hospice Fraud in Monterey County

Posted on February 6, 2026

“The California DOJ Division of Medi-Cal Fraud and Elder Abuse works, in part, to protect tax payer funds as they pertain to programs such as Medi-Cal.  Protecting these programs from fraud means funds will be available for those who need it.”

CSLEA President Alan Barcelona

MONTEREY COUNTY — On February 5, 2025, California Attorney General Bonta announced the arrests of, and filing of multiple felony charges against, seven individuals for hospice fraud in Monterey County. Among the individuals arrested is the owner of Compassionate Touch Hospice and Spiritual Touch Hospice, two co-owners of Fountain Hospice, three doctors, and one nurse. The arrest and charges are the result of investigations by the California Department of Justice (DOJ) and the U.S. Department of Health Service Office of the Inspector General.
 
“Abusing systems meant to support Californians, and putting profits before people and their families won’t be tolerated,” said Bonta.
 
California DOJ received a referral from the California Board of Registered Nursing after fraudulent activity was discovered and associated with Spiritual Touch Hospice and Compassionate Touch Hospice. The California DOJ Division of Medi-Cal Fraud and Elder Abuse’s (DMFEA) multi-year investigation revealed a sophisticated conspiracy to defraud Medi-Cal and Medicare and allegedly involved the owners, doctors and nurses of Spiritual Touch Hospice, Compassionate Touch Hospice, and Fountain Hospice. The defendants owned, operated, or worked for the three hospice companies simultaneously.  It is alleged they recruited, enrolled, and certified patients for hospice services who did not suffer from a terminal diagnosis. Some of these patients did not know hospice was intended for patients who were terminally ill, or that they were even enrolled in hospice. To avoid suspicion, the defendants allegedly transferred several patients between the three companies after six months and continued fraudulently billing for hospice services.
 
The total loss to Medi-Cal and Medicare is $3,211,419.79. On January 30, 2026, DMFEA filed felony charges in Monterey County Superior Court against:

• Nimfa Molina (Head Nurse),
• Luis Artavia (Medical Director),
•  Mark Samonte (Medical Director),
• Shomir Banerjee (Medical Director),
• Danny Lodevico (Owner),
• Flor Mora (Owner), and
• Christine Nugiud-Yem (Owner)

 alleging violations of false or fraudulent claims, conspiracy to commit a crime, with an aggravated white-collar enhancement.
 
The DMFEA is a California Department of Justice unit whose mission is to protect citizens and the state’s medical program from those who defraud taxpayers and divert state health care resources. The investigation would not have been possible without the collaboration of government agencies and those who reported the incidences of Medi-Cal fraud.

It is important to note that a criminal indictment contains charges that are only allegations against a person. Every defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.

A copy of the complaint can be found here.  

Full Article & Source:
Seven Arrested for Hospice Fraud in Monterey County 

$5.5 million lawsuit alleges elder exploitation at Collierville facility

The former executive director of StoryPoint Collierville, an upscale senior living community, faces new accusations of exploiting the elderly in his care.

By Joyce Peterson and Lydian Coombs

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (WMC) - A new car, wads of cash, and gifts galore.

The former executive director of StoryPoint Collierville, an upscale senior living community, faces new accusations of exploiting the elderly in his care for his benefit. 57-year-old Timothy Johnson was arrested in December and charged with theft of over $10,000 and aggravated burglary after Collierville police say he stole items from residents’ rooms.

Now, he faces a $5.5 million lawsuit alleging he swindled another resident out of more than half a million dollars.

Timothy Johnson(Collierville Police Department)

Inside the impressive-looking StoryPoint Collierville Independent and Enhanced Living Facility at 691 South Byhalia Road, consumer protection attorney Kevin Snider says something ugly lurks.

“People need to know about this,” he warned, “because something’s not right out there.“

Snider sued StoryPoint last year after the company illegally took thousands of dollars out of his bank account and made unauthorized withdrawals from his mother’s bank account.

He also sued them for fraud and violating the Consumer Protection Act when he learned they falsely claimed to be a licensed assisted living facility.

His 84-year-old mother, Charlotte, had been a resident there for about three years. Her care, he said, was less than ideal.

“We found literally hundreds, if not thousands of pills scattered throughout the kitchen cabinets,” Snider told Action News 5, “and they were dated back days, sometimes weeks, sometimes months.“

The judge ordered StoryPoint to pay Snider $25,000. 

Kevin Snider, consumer protection attorney(Action News 5)

Two days later, he saw Johnson’s mugshot on the news, stunned to learn the former executive director of StoryPoint Collierville was charged with stealing items from residents’ rooms.

“It continued from there,” said Snider, “because that’s not even the end of it.“

Snider filed a $5.5 million civil lawsuit on Tuesday, February 3, accusing Johnson of gaining the trust of an elderly resident, Marvin Ford, then milking him for gifts, money and a new car. The trustee of Ford’s estate had reached out to Snider, concerned about a series of events.

The suit alleges 25 checks were written to Johnson, totalling about $20,000, along with cash withdrawals of roughly $25,000.

The complaint says another $20,000 disappeared from a locked safe in Ford’s apartment.

Johnson also received a new Toyota Corolla from Ford worth $40,000, and he wound up in Ford’s trust, inheriting $435,000 after Ford passed away in January 2025.

“So it begs the question, what’s really going on out there?” said Snider, “How big is this? Were there other people involved? You know, was corporate involved for that matter? I mean, who knows? They obviously don’t care. They obviously don’t exercise oversight over it.“

Snider points to an email attached to the lawsuit in which the trustee of Ford’s estate asked StoryPoint if managers should be named in residents’ wills or trusts.

StoryPoint Collierville Independent and Enhanced Living Facility, located at 691 South Byhalia Road(Action News 5)

The reply from the company’s Customer Insights and Reputation Marketing manager was: “I don’t see an issue with that.”

Snider’s mother is now in hospice. He’s handling the stress and emotional toll of that while focusing on finding out the truth about what went on inside StoryPoint Collierville.

“I’ve seen some horrible things that companies and people do to consumers,” said Snider, “but this is by far the worst. You’re doing it to the most fragile people at the end of their lives.”

Action News 5 called StoryPoint representatives multiple times Wednesday and reached out via email for a statement and heard nothing back.

Collierville police say the investigation into Johnson’s alleged thefts from residents has not yet concluded. 

Full Article & Source:
$5.5 million lawsuit alleges elder exploitation at Collierville facility 

Rabun County man charged with sexual assault, strangulation of disabled adult

By FOX 5 Atlanta Digital Team

Robert Moon (Source: Rabun County Sheriff's Office)

The Brief

• • Robert Early Moon faces multiple felony charges, including aggravated assault and exploitation of a disabled adult.
  • Investigators identified additional acts of violence involving both strangulation and sexual assault.
  • Authorities have not yet disclosed Moon’s specific relationship to the victim or his current professional status.

RABUN COUNTY, Ga. - A 52-year-old Rabun County man has been charged with strangling and abusing a disabled adult.

What we know:  Robert Early Moon is charged with battery, criminal trespass (damage), aggravated assault, and exploitation and intimidation of a disabled adult.

The investigation was launched on Jan. 21 after deputies responded to a report of an assault near the 1200 block of Old Highway 441 South.

In addition to taking the victim’s statement, deputies noticed visible injuries. Investigators determined additional acts of violence, including strangulation and sexual assault.

Moon was arrested at his home on Jan. 29 and booked into the Rabun County jail.

What they're saying:  "I want to commend the deputies and investigators involved for their diligent, professional work throughout this investigation. As with all cases, these charges are allegations, and the accused is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law," Sheriff Mark Gerrells wrote in a statement on the sheriff’s office Facebook page.

What we don't know:  It is unclear if Moon remains in jail or if he has retained legal representation.

Authorities have not yet disclosed the specific relationship between Moon and the victim, nor have they clarified if the victim was under Moon's professional care at the time of the alleged assault. 

It remains unclear how long the alleged abuse had been occurring prior to the Jan. 21 report or if there are other potential victims. 

It was not immediately known if a weapon was used during the incident.

Full Article & Source:
Rabun County man charged with sexual assault, strangulation of disabled adult 

Stuck in the hospital: Guardianship backlog exacerbates capacity issues in Mass.

In Massachusetts, if a patient has not appointed a health care proxy, only a legal guardian is recognized to make decisions.

By Jericho Tran 

With hospital capacity increasing during the flu season, health care professionals are sounding the alarm on the need for legal guardians to help patients who have not filled out a health care proxy form.

In most cases, the situation is avoidable by filling out the paperwork and assigning a legal guardian in case something happens and you're not able to make decisions for yourself — but legal and medical professionals say in other cases, especially with the aging population, there are no friends or family available, so patients are literally stuck inside hospitals.

"The emergency rooms are full, and a lot of that are people waiting to be admitted to another floor of the hospital, but there's no beds," said attorney Brandon Saunders, a partner at BSK Law Offices.

Patients without legal guardians may be stuck inside medical facilities for months at a time, eliminating space for the influx of patients at the height of the flu season.

"The length of time to get a guardianship has increased, and people are sitting longer, and I think it's having a greater strain on the capacities of these hospitals," Saunders said.

In Massachusetts, if there's no appointed health care proxy, the only recognized decision-maker is a legal guardian.

Saunders, who goes into court to appoint a guardian for patients, says it can sometimes take weeks.

"We were about 1,000 petitions for guardianship last year," he said. "That's up from the year before, and up from the year before that."

In the meantime, those patients are unable to get the specialized post-acute care they need.

"It's just exacerbated, as I say, in the winter, when when we are experiencing a flu surge, so capacity constraints are even worse," said Michelle McGrory, the associate chief nursing officer for care transitions and rehab services at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. "That also exacerbates our congestion in all of our emergency rooms across the state, because patients cannot be moved from the emergency room to these inpatient beds because patients are stuck and we can't discharge them."

In September, the Massachusetts Health and Hospital Association found that 38 hospitals across the state reported 50 patients were stuck in hospitals waiting for the appointment of a legal guardian — with that number only expected to grow.

"There needs to be either a funding source or a better pool of available guardians," Saunders said.

Hospitals are asking anyone who is eligible to be a guardian to volunteer. They also asking legislators to provide funding for a volunteer guardianship program.

Full Article & Source:
Stuck in the hospital: Guardianship backlog exacerbates capacity issues in Mass. 

Former Banner nurse accused of molesting incapacitated patient

By 13 News Staff

TUCSON, Ariz. (13 News) - A former nurse at Banner-University Medical Center has been arrested after allegedly molesting an incapacitated patient.

Jadd Gebrial Sarah made his initial court appearance on Wednesday, Feb. 4, where the judge set bond at $50,000.

Sarah faces charges of sexual abuse, aggravated assault, and vulnerable adult abuse.

The interim complaint shows a nursing supervisor at Banner called 911 on Feb. 2 to report an employee had sexually assaulted a patient.

Police responded to the hospital the following day and learned Sarah was the accused employee.

The document shows the victim was admitted to the hospital for seizures.

The interim complaint also states Sarah was seen on camera entering the victim’s room while she was “incapacitated by both her seizures and different medicines” and then fondling her.

The document shows that during the sexual abuse, the victim “appeared to have no ability to resist Sarah.”

The victim was able to communicate with police and said, according to the interim complaint, that the nurse did touch her.

After being read his rights, the interim complaint shows Sarah admitted “that he screwed up and he did not know why he did it and that it has never happened before.”

His next court appearance is scheduled for Feb. 13.

A Banner Health spokesperson sent the following statement to 13 News:

“At Banner Health, we hold ourselves and every one of our team members to the highest standards of conduct and professionalism. Immediately upon learning of an incident that occurred at one of our facilities, we contacted law enforcement. The individual involved in the incident is no longer employed by Banner Health. We remain committed to ensuring a safe environment for every patient in our care.”

Full Article & Source:
Former Banner nurse accused of molesting incapacitated patient

Kent County man charged for allegedly using APS position to exploit vulnerable women

A Kent County man has been charged with abusing his position with the state to try to gain the property deeds of three vulnerable women. 

Author: Cali Lichter

KENT COUNTY, Mich. — A Comstock Park man is facing decades in prison after detectives allege he abused his position as a state Adult Protective Services (APS) Investigator to exploit three vulnerable women. APS investigators are tasked with protecting vulnerable adults from abuse, neglect and exploitation.

Derek Plumb faces five charges: one count of embezzling more than $100,000 from a vulnerable adult, and four counts of forgery of a document affecting real property. 

Court documents say in August of last year that a Byron Township woman reported a fraudulent Lady Bird Deed taken out on her house and deeded to the Adult Protective Services Investigator assigned to her case, Derek Plumb. 

A Lady Bird Deed transfers the house deed to a beneficiary when the owner dies. 

A detective with the Kent County Sheriff’s Office found, through a check with the Kent County Register of Deeds, that there were two other houses that were deeded to Plumb and his company, Blackstone AP LLC. There was a Quitclaim Deed for one residence, giving immediate ownership to the LLC, and another Lady Bird Deed for a residence deeded to the LLC. 

There was an initial deed for the reporting victim’s house with Plumb as the beneficiary and another listing his LLC as the beneficiary.  

All three were confirmed to be clients on Plumb’s APS cases.  

When the detective met with the notary on the documents, according to the court documents, the notary claimed he did not notarize the documents, did not meet the women and that his signatures on the documents were forged. 

Through a handwriting analysis, it was found that the signature characteristics on the documents were similar to Plumb’s. 

In early January, Plumb allegedly admitted to detectives he was struggling financially, “saw an opportunity” and “made a poor decision.”  

Detectives say he admitted to taking advantage of the situation, having one of the women sign the deed knowing she was showing dementia like symptoms and did not know what she was signing. 

In the case of another victim, authorities said he initially recalled having her sign the document without knowing what it was but later admitted he may have signed her name on the document. 

He said he knew where the notary’s stamp was and that he stamped the documents and forged the notary’s signature. 

In an email to 13 ON YOUR SIDE, Kent County Prosecutor Chris Becker said the following:  

"Financial exploitation of an older adult is one of the most commonly reported forms of mistreatment, and generally that financial exploitation is done by someone the elderly person trusts. On many occasions the person  is a family member, but we have seen cases where it involves neighbors, friends, anyone who may have a close trusting relationship with the elderly person. In addition, only 1 out of 14 cases of abuse of an elder is ever reported, making it one of the least reported crimes we deal with."

Plumb is facing up to 20 years in prison if convicted. He will be back in court later this month.  

Full Article & Source:
Kent County man charged for allegedly using APS position to exploit vulnerable women

See Also:
Kent County worker accused of embezzling $100K, defrauding elderly in property scheme 

Pennsylvania Woman Charged After Elder Exploitation Investigation in Chatham County

Posted by Brighton McConnell 

A Pennsylvania woman is being sought for allegedly using thousands of dollars of an elderly victim’s money to pay her family’s personal business.

The Chatham County Sheriff’s Office announced charges against 71-year-old Pamela Bagdis of Norristown, Pa. on Tuesday, charging her with five counts of felony obtaining property by false pretense, five counts of felony elder exploitation, and one count of felony larceny. The release said an incident was reported on Jan. 15 that accused Bagdis, who served as a power of attorney for an elderly Chatham County victim, of taking money. An investigation then led to the sheriff’s office’s allegations of Bagdis using the victim’s funding to pay her and her husband’s personal business more than $35,700.

Bagdis’ age and address match that of the spouse to lawyer Bernard “Jay” Baldis of Pennsylvania, who was convicted in 2010 for a tax evasion scheme where he used a group of shell companies to hide more than $24 million of income for himself and 11 clients. The U.S. Justice Department said its investigation found Baldis and his cohort effectively withheld $4.9 million from the Internal Revenue Service and he was ultimately sentenced to 10 years in prison. Federal court filings from 2018 and Pennsylvania Superior Court filings from 2019 cite Pamela as Bernard’s spouse.

The Chatham County Sheriff’s Office said Bagdis has not yet been arrested or served and a court date for the charges has not yet been set.

Featured image by Brighton McConnell/Chapel Hill Media Group

Full Article & Source:
Pennsylvania Woman Charged After Elder Exploitation Investigation in Chatham County

We Found New York’s Guardianship System in Shambles. Now State Lawmakers Say They Have a Plan to Help Fix It.

Two years after ProPublica first documented the state’s dire shortage of guardians — and the substandard care some provide — lawmakers are pitching a $15 million-per-year fix. It’s unclear whether the law has the governor’s support.

by Jake Pearson 

New York state lawmakers have introduced legislation to boost spending on the state’s troubled guardianship system by $15 million a year — an unprecedented cash infusion for a bureaucracy that has long struggled to care for the tens of thousands of disabled or elderly New Yorkers who cannot care for themselves.

By law, judges appoint guardians to manage the health and financial matters of people they deem incapacitated, and these guardians are then compensated from the estates of their wards. But there are not enough guardians to serve the roughly 30,000 New Yorkers who need them, and the new bill, called the Good Guardianship Act, aims to help the most vulnerable segment of this population: those who are too poor to pay for a private guardian and who have no family or friends willing to serve.

In the industry, they are known as “the unbefriended,” and the millions in new funding would flow to a statewide network of nonprofit guardians who serve them.

The proposal follows a 2024 ProPublica investigation that revealed how the state’s guardianship system was failing this group in particular by conducting little to no oversight of guardians, some of whom provided substandard care and exploited those they were charged with looking after.

The stories prompted the state attorney general to open an investigation into several guardianship providers and spurred the court system to appoint a special counsel to enact reforms. But advocates said the Good Guardianship Act presents the most promising step to date in improving the system — if it can get the support of Gov. Kathy Hochul.

The legislation mirrors the recommendations of a task force appointed by the governor last summer, yet Hochul has not said whether she supports the plan and did not include any funding for guardianships in the $260 billion executive budget she recently unveiled.

“What’s it going to take for the governor to pay attention to guardianship and realize there’s a viable solution on the table?” said Kimberly George, who runs a nonprofit that serves about 200 New York City wards and helps lead Guardianship Access New York, a coalition of groups that’s pushing the bill in Albany.

A spokesperson for Hochul, a Democrat who is running for reelection, said the governor will review the legislation.

In recent years, Albany has provided just $1 million to help fund a statewide guardianship hotline, which provides advice for people considering guardianship for their relatives or friends. But the Good Guardianship Act would provide considerably more guardians for those who need them, effectively ensuring that qualified nonprofit groups with a history of providing guardianship services are available to be appointed by judges in cases involving the unbefriended.

To ensure that state funding only goes to what the legislation calls “reputable” nonprofits, groups must be in good standing with a state regulator and their guardianship plans and funding requests must be reviewed by a contractor picked by the director of the state’s Office for the Aging.

Assembly Member Charles Lavine, a Long Island Democrat who chairs the Assembly Judiciary Committee and introduced the legislation, expressed confidence that the bill would pass this session, noting it has no opposition and fixes a readily identifiable problem.

“It’s time that we did something to be able to provide those who are in actual, real need,” he said in an interview. “We believe we are working in the right direction.”

Lavine hosted a roundtable last fall focused on confronting what he dubbed “the crisis” in the guardianship system, describing it as being “stretched very, very thin.”

The legislation also has the support of legislative leaders in the state Senate — including its powerful majority leader, Andrea Stewart-Cousins, her spokesperson said.

State Sen. Cordell Cleare, a Harlem Democrat who chairs the Aging Committee, is shepherding the bill through the chamber. It’s on the panel’s agenda for Wednesday and is expected to be adopted. 

Full Article & Source:
We Found New York’s Guardianship System in Shambles. Now State Lawmakers Say They Have a Plan to Help Fix It.