State auditors make routine probe of probate court spending as judge fights for her job

By Joseph D. Bryant 

State auditors are examining finances and operations at Jefferson County Probate Court offices in Birmingham and Bessemer at the same time the probate judge awaits a trial.

Auditors say the look is routine.

Even so, the audit from the state Examiners of Public Accounts comes at the same time that Judge Yashiba Blanchard is suspended from the bench and faces a trial that will determine the fate of her legal career.

"I can confirm that we are conducting an audit of the Jefferson County Probate Court, both the Birmingham and Bessemer Division," Chief Examiner Rachel Laurie Riddle responded to AL.com in an email. "This was a scheduled routine audit that began in March of 2026."

Blanchard was suspended in May and faces a trial on accusations of alleged professional and judicial misconduct. The judge denies all accusations of misconduct alleged in a 120-page complaint.

"She has denied all the allegations," Blanchard's lawyer Emory Anthony said after her first hearing July 9. "But right now, we just want everyone to settle down and allow the process to happen and then we'll go from there."

The current audit was also discussed during the hearing. Judge Bill Cole gave Blanchard permission to return to the courthouse to download documents related to her cooperation in the audit.

The last audit of probate court was filed in 2023 and covered the administrations of previous probate judges Alan King, Jim Naftel and Sherri Friday.

"Testing performed during the examination did not disclose any significant instance of noncompliance with applicable state or local laws and regulations," auditors wrote in their Sept. 22, 2023 findings.

Jefferson County Probate Judge Yashiba Blanchard faces losing her position over accusations of misconduct.Joseph D. Bryant

The state examination includes a review of finances in the department, including a look at spending from the probate archival fund, a discretionary account controlled by the presiding probate judge.

The fund was created primarily to preserve and digitize old county records. Probate judges during the previous audit period from 2017 to 2022 spent about $3.1 million from the fund.

Blanchard, with a little over a year in office, had already exceeded the regular spending of her predecessors. For example, Blanchard spent more than $1 million for two consultants, along with $142,000 for radio ads and thousands for T-shirts and photo shoots, according to public records.

In an earlier statement to AL.com, Blanchard said spending under her direction was done for the benefit of the citizens.

Blanchard took office in early 2025. The new state audit will likely cover her brief term along with her predecessor Naftel.

The state audit is separate from the action taken by Blanchard when she ordered a forensic audit of about 146 estate cases that were handled by outside appointed law firms.

The probate court oversees private estates and trusts worth millions. The presiding judge appoints law firms as managers to handle those assets for individuals.

A portion of the Judicial Inquiry Commission complaint alleges that Blanchard improperly removed cases from one firm and gave them to another. The complaint concludes that some of Blanchard's actions stemmed from personal disagreements with the firm rather than legitimate grievances.

The complaint also alleges that Blanchard was wrong to issue a blanket order for financial audits that covered multiple estates without an explanation of why the reviews and costs were necessary.

The complaint accuses Blanchard of ordering wholesale audits of cases, some of which were already closed, without requests from the parties and without due process for any of the interested parties. The complaint notes that fees from the audits will be paid from each estate.

"The January 29 forensic accounting orders also preapproved any fees associated with the forensic accounting to be paid from each estate precluding the opportunity for the interested parties and Judge Blanchard to determine whether the fees charged for the forensic accounting were reasonable or beyond the fair value of the services rendered," according to the complaint.

Blanchard is also the subject of a related lawsuit from Hand Arendall attorneys claiming that Blanchard, without justification, exceeded her authority by ordering the audits on accounts that they had previously managed.

Blanchard reassigned Hand Arendall's cases to another firm. That lawsuit was filed in February.

The trial for Blanchard may begin in November, could include 25 to 30 witnesses for the prosecution and could last up to five days. 

Full Article & Source:
State auditors make routine probe of probate court spending as judge fights for her job

See Also:
Suspended judge spent more than $1 million on PR firms and radio ads from discretionary fund

Suspended Alabama probate judge denies all accusations of bullying and other misconduct

Horrifying details released in case against suspended Jefferson County Probate Judge Yashiba Blanchard

Suspended Jefferson County probate judge accused of election interference in new lawsuit

Jefferson County judge suspended, complaint says she called herself “ultimate authority”

Glamorous judge accused of bullying, intimidation and delaying cases so she could take her DOGS for a walk 

Delco couple arrested for allegedly abusing and neglecting woman with down syndrome

Yahnae Clegg-Brown and Naiyr 'Hasan' Sanders allegedly 'systematically underfed and assaulted' the woman, who was under their care, investigators say.

By Molly McVety 

A Colwyn couple was arrested for allegedly abusing and neglecting a 20-year-old woman with down syndrome, the Delaware County District Attorney's Office said. The woman was under the couple's care.

In April, the woman was found outside the residence of Yahnae Clegg-Brown and Naiyr "Hasan" Sanders, having spent about four hours crying in rainy, 40-degree conditions, investigators said. When police arrived, she was suffering from malnourishment and had multiple injuries to her face and body. She was holding a trash bag of clothes.

The woman, whose name has not been released, allegedly had been "systematically underfed and assaulted" whenever the couple did not approve of her behavior, investigators said. 

Clegg-Brown is the woman's cousin and temporarily had taken over guardianship after the woman's previous caretaker died, the Inquirer reported.

The woman was forced to stay in a room with "no sheets, blankets or pillows and a deteriorating mattress," prosecutors said Thursday. Video footage obtained by officials allegedly shows Sanders pushing the woman down concrete stairs, slamming a door in her face and punching her on the right side of her face.

"It's heartbreaking to see a vulnerable member of our community suffer the abuse and neglect described in this case," Delaware District Attorney Tanner Rouse said in a statement. "Those entrusted with another person's care have a responsibility to protect them. To have systematically abused a young woman in this way is beyond comprehension."

Clegg-Brown was charged with two counts of neglect of a dependent person and one count of abuse of a dependent person. Sanders was charged with two counts of each, and simple assault. They are being held at the George W. Hill Correctional Facility with bail set at 10% of $250,000. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for next week.

Anyone with information related to the investigation can contact the lead investigator, Sgt. Steve Bannar, at (610) 891-4700. 

Full Article & Source:
Delco couple arrested for allegedly abusing and neglecting woman with down syndrome 

Girl, 7, dies after alleged abuse in dad’s fiancée’s custody; mother targets officials with $250 million lawsuit

Story by Front Page Detective Staff

The mother of a deceased 7-year-old child has blamed Suffolk County and the Bayport-Blue Point School District for her daughter’s death, citing that they failed to protect her and placed her in the custody of an allegedly dangerous woman.

Jor’Dynn Duncan, 7, died in December 2025, months after she was placed in the custody of her father’s fiancée, Emily Kelly, 50. Duncan’s mother, Portia Duncan, alleges that Kelly tortured her daughter for a long time, but county officials and the school district ignored warning signs.

Portia Duncan Sues Suffolk County Officials Over Daughter’s Death

Duncan has filed a $250 million lawsuit against Suffolk County, its child welfare agencies, and the Bayport-Blue Point School District. The lawsuit alleges that Suffolk County failed to vet Kelly before placing Jor’Dynn in her care, and that Child Protection Services failed to monitor Jor’Dynn’s wellbeing.

Jor’Dynn was removed from Duncan’s custody because of the mother’s drug abuse and mental health issues. She could not be placed with her father, either, as he was in prison. In December 2024, Suffolk County Child Protective Services placed her in the care of her father’s fiancée, Kelly. In April 2025, Kelly was granted full custody and guardianship of the child.

On December 29, 2025, Kelly called 911 after finding Jor’Dynn unresponsive outside a bathroom. She was pronounced dead an hour later. An autopsy determined that she died of an infection caused by sharp force injuries. According to the medical examiner, the child had around 90 injuries on her body. 

Kelly and Her Family Members Have Been Charged in Jor’Dynn’s Death

Kelly and two of her family members have been charged in Jor’Dynn’s death. Kelly is facing a second-degree murder charge. Her 75-year-old mother, Barbara Renner, has been charged with second-degree manslaughter, while her 24-year-old daughter, Elyssa Seymore, is accused of first-degree unlawful imprisonment. The trio appeared in court in June 2026.

Duncan is seeking justice for her daughter and says she wishes her child had never been taken from her custody. “They need to do more protecting of our kids because there are no other hands she should have been in than mine. I might have been an addict, but I was … I was a damn good mother,” she said in an interview with CBS News.

Her legal team has described Kelly’s home as a ‘house of horrors.’ “[They] took her from the place where she never missed any school, was getting swimming lessons, and put her into a house of horrors and death,” attorney Lowanda Williams said. Duncan also regrets not being able to take care of her kid due to her addiction, as she said, “If I can turn back time, I would have done things so much different.” 

Full Article & Source:
Girl, 7, dies after alleged abuse in dad’s fiancée’s custody; mother targets officials with $250 million lawsuit 

Texas Sees Surge in Fraud Losses as Advocates Push for New Protections

Evolving scams, rising losses, and a push for stronger protections in Texas.

By Mark Hollis, AARP Texas 

AUSTIN, Texas -- As financial scams become more sophisticated, Texas advocates are intensifying their focus on policy solutions ahead of the 2027 legislative session.

The Texas Elder Justice Coalition, a statewide network working to combat financial exploitation of older adults, plays a central role in that effort. For AARP Texas, participation provides critical insight into emerging threats.

“Fraud is evolving quickly, and our response has to keep pace,” said Stephanie Mace, associate state director at AARP Texas. “The coalition helps us stay connected to what’s happening on the ground and shape solutions that better protect older Texans.”

The urgency is growing. Fraud losses in Texas have surged in recent years, with older adults disproportionately affected. AARP Texas has responded by expanding community education and outreach, including free events and workshops outlined in its Texas Shred ’Em fraud prevention campaign, which brings shredding services and scam education directly to communities statewide. AARP Texas also hosts fraud prevention workshops, virtual presentations, and telephone town halls, while volunteers lead community presentations where audiences learn to recognize and avoid scams. In addition, said Rosalinda Martinez, AARP Texas’ senior director of community strategy: “Outreach extends into everyday settings, like community events and sports venues, where we engage residents with fraud awareness resources and tips.”

At the TEJC Summit in mid-June, advocates emphasized a clear trend: scams are becoming faster, more coordinated, and harder to detect. Technology is enabling real-time financial exploitation, while traditional schemes, such as impersonation and investment fraud, remain widespread.

“Today’s scams are more immediate and more targeted,” Mace said. “That makes prevention and enforcement much more challenging.”

Cryptocurrency kiosks, or so-called “crypto-ATMs,” and related technologies have emerged as a major concern. AARP research shows these machines are used in scams because transactions move quickly and are difficult to reverse.

“We’re seeing these machines show up more often in fraud cases, and the lack of consistent safeguards in Texas puts consumers at risk,” said Andrea Earl, associate state director at AARP Texas.

Some local governments are beginning to respond. In May, the San Antonio City Council unanimously approved an ordinance requiring cryptocurrency kiosks to display clear warning signs about common scams — an effort to give consumers a moment to pause before completing potentially irreversible transactions.

“This is a meaningful step to raise awareness and help prevent losses before they happen,” said Lisa A. Rodriguez, AARP Texas director. “It shows how targeted, commonsense protections can make a real difference for Texans.”

Rodriguez said action like this is important, and broader policy solutions are still needed. AARP has called for stronger protections nationwide, including licensing, transaction limits, and clearer warnings.

Looking ahead to the 2027 legislative session, Rodriguez said AARP Texas plans to prioritize stronger consumer protections for cryptocurrency kiosks. “Stronger safeguards are essential if we’re going to stay ahead of how these scams are evolving,” she said. 

Full Article & Source:
Texas Sees Surge in Fraud Losses as Advocates Push for New Protections 

Nursing home worker fired after accepting $15,000 ‘gift’ from resident

By Clark Kauffman 

An Iowa nursing home worker fired for allegedly accepting $15,000 from a resident of the home has been denied unemployment benefits.

According to state records, certified nursing assistant and medication aide Gregory Reid worked full time for Grandview Care Center in Oelwein from October 2023 until April 28, 2026, when he was fired. Reid then filed for unemployment benefits, which led to a hearing before Administrative Law Judge Jasmina Sarajlija.

According to Sarajlija’s findings in the case, Grandview Care Center is a nursing home tasked with protecting residents from dependent adult abuse, which includes financial exploitation. As a result, the home has a policy barring employees from accepting any gifts, tips or gratuities from residents of the home.

The policy, according to Sarajlija, also states if a resident insists on giving a gift to an employee, the employee is required to report it to the administrator to allow the facility to handle the situation with the resident.

According to Sarajlija’s findings, the administrator of the home received information from a resident’s friend on April 1, 2026, alleging the resident had told her Reid had accepted money from her.

A subsequent investigation allegedly confirmed the resident wrote three $5,000 checks to Reid between Feb. 27, 2026 and March 13, 2026. Reid allegedly deposited all three checks at a local credit union within a week of the checks being written.

Reid admitted accepting the money during the investigation, according to Sarajlija’s findings, and he was fired for violating the home’s gift policy.

At his unemployment hearing, Reid allegedly acknowledged accepting the money from the resident, and explained the resident knew he was struggling financially and offered to help him out, stating that she and her husband had helped others through school and she wanted to do the same for him.

According to Sarajlija’s findings, Reid said he did not solicit the gift or pressure the woman to give him the money, indicating he knew acceptance of it was against policy and he could lose his job over it.

Sarajlija recently ruled Reid’s conduct amounted to workplace misconduct that disqualified him from collecting unemployment benefits, pointing out that Reid was aware of the home’s policy.

“Despite this knowledge, (Reid) still accepted financial assistance from a resident that he was tasked with protecting from harm and abuse, including financial harm and abuse,” Sarajlija stated in her ruling. “Taking money from a resident on three separate occasions, a total of $15,000, is not an isolated mistake but a pattern that may have continued had the facility not received a report about it from the resident’s friend.”

Court records indicate no criminal charges were filed in the case and Grandview Care Center was not cited by state inspectors for dependent adult abuse.

The Iowa Capital Dispatch was not able to reach Reid for comment.

Full Article & Source:
Nursing home worker fired after accepting $15,000 ‘gift’ from resident 

Get Gephardt helps Utah woman fight to get her power of attorney recognized

By Matt Gephardt and Sloan Schrage

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Pam Davis struggled to get Capital One to recognize her power of attorney.
• Her brother was a victim of a scam, losing nearly all his assets.
• After media intervention, Capital One finally acknowledged her authority resolving the issue.

SANDY — At some point, many of us may have to step in and help a loved one with their money — paying bills, watching accounts or cleaning up after fraud. But what do you do when a major credit card company refuses to recognize your authority over a loved one's finances?

Pam Davis has been looking out for her older brother, Stan.

"My brother has short-term memory and dementia," she said. "So, it became necessary for me to take over."

Davis recently discovered her brother was the target of a brutal pig-butchering scam. A criminal posing as a woman coaxed personal and financial information out of him. Money was taken from his bank accounts, stocks and credit cards.

"It pretty much cost him almost everything he had," Davis said.

She is trying to unwind some of that damage, including the fraudulent purchase of a MacBook Pro on her brother's Capital One credit card. But she says she can't get Capital One to recognize her power of attorney, no matter how many times she sent them the papers.

"I ended up sending them my power of attorney, my conservatorship and my guardianship," Davis said. "Then they requested all of my personal information, including my name, address, phone number, Social Security – the works from me. And still that was not enough for them to talk to me."

She even got a letter from Capital One denying the request to appoint Pam Davis as power of attorney because her brother already has a power of attorney: Pam Davis.

"They can't talk to me because they can only talk to me, which makes no sense at all," she said with exasperation.

Davis' brother has since died. But she hasn't given up because she's worried Capital One will come after his estate. So, she reached out to someone who will talk to her – me.

As the KSL Investigators began digging, we found that Utah law requires financial institutions to either accept a power of attorney or to request certification of one or an opinion of counsel – within seven days. They can't drag it on for weeks on end.

So, we contacted Capital One's public relations team to ask why they were not recognizing Davis's power of attorney. We did not get an answer, but by phone, they told us they would look into what happened.

"I want to finish what I started for him," Pam Davis had told me.

And just like that, she says they finally started talking to her and, after some back-and-forth, her brother's account was written off.

You should know that by law, there are only a handful of reasons why a power of attorney can be rejected, including if the person has already died, or if it is suspected of being fraudulent.

Photos

The Key Takeaways for this article were generated with the assistance of large language models and reviewed by our editorial team. The article, itself, is solely human-written. 

Full Article & Source:
Get Gephardt helps Utah woman fight to get her power of attorney recognized

Nipsey Hussle's $11 Million Estate Awarded to His Children After Years-long Probate Process

A California court has awarded Nipsey Hussle’s $11 million estate and Marathon businesses to his two children, ending a years-long probate case and keeping his South LA ownership legacy in family hands.

More than seven years after the death of Nipsey Hussle, a California court has officially finalized the distribution of the South Los Angeles rapper and entrepreneur's estate, ensuring that the wealth and businesses he built will pass directly to his two children.

On July 5, the court approved the equal distribution of Nipsey Hussle's estate—valued at approximately $11 million—to his daughter, Emani Asghedom, and his son, Kross Asghedom. Each child will receive a 50% share of the estate, bringing to a close a probate process that began after the Grammy-nominated artist was fatally shot outside his Marathon Clothing store in March 2019.

The estate includes cash, ownership interests in The Marathon Clothing, All Money Inc., Marathon Studios, Marathon Touring, trademark rights, vehicles—including a 2012 Chevrolet Suburban—and other business and personal assets tied to Nipsey's legacy.

Nipsey, born Ermias Asghedom, shared Emani with Tanisha Foster and Kross with actress Lauren London.

The estate has been administered by Nipsey's brother, Samiel "Blacc Sam" Asghedom, who spent years navigating probate proceedings and a legal dispute involving Emani's guardianship and inheritance. That matter was resolved in 2025, clearing the way for the final distribution of assets. Kross's inheritance, managed by his mother, Lauren London, moved through the process without the same level of legal challenges.

For Asghedom, preserving his brother's vision has always been about more than money.

"When I say we own it, it's in Hussle's kids' names," Blacc Sam said. "This is something their father worked for, and that they own, and that's important to me."

The ruling also ensures that control of The Marathon Clothing brand and Nipsey's trademark portfolio remains with his children, preserving a business empire the rapper intentionally built around ownership, economic empowerment and investment in South Los Angeles.

Since Nipsey's death, the Marathon brand has continued to expand under Blacc Sam's leadership with ventures including Marathon Burger while maintaining partnerships such as Puma, which continue contributing to the family's long-term financial future.

For many in Los Angeles, the conclusion of the probate case represents more than the settlement of an estate. It fulfills one of Nipsey Hussle's defining principles: building generational wealth through ownership.

Long before his death, Nipsey championed Black entrepreneurship, neighborhood investment and financial independence, using businesses like The Marathon Clothing as symbols of what community ownership could look like. With the court's decision, the assets he spent years building will now remain in the hands of the next generation of the Asghedom family. 

Full Article & Source:
Nipsey Hussle's $11 Million Estate Awarded to His Children After Years-long Probate Process 

Johnson’s guardianship reform sent to governor

July 9, 2026

LANSING, Mich. — Sen. Ruth Johnson’s legislation to reform the state’s guardianship laws and help protect vulnerable individuals and their homes from guardians who might not be acting in their best interest is headed to the governor to be signed.

“It is heartbreaking to hear from dozens of families who have watched helplessly as a loved one was removed from their home without a hearing, without notice and without a voice,” said Johnson, R-Holly. “The loved one’s home is often sold for well below market value, and families have no recourse. This reform will ensure that the best interests of our most vulnerable residents — not the convenience of their guardians — will drive important decisions like moving someone out of their home and selling their house.”

Johnson’s bill, Senate Bill 586, would ensure that a protected individual’s living arrangements are truly in their best interest. Under the bill, a guardian would not be allowed to change an incapacitated person’s residence without court approval after demonstrating the move is necessary and appropriate for the individual’s needs.

SB 585, sponsored by Sen. Jeff Irwin, would require a licensed appraiser to appraise the value of a protected person’s home before any sale of that property.

“Vulnerable adults placed into guardianship deserve to have their rights protected,” said Irwin, D-Ann Arbor. “Once signed into law, my bill requires a professional appraisal before the sale of real estate owned by an adult placed in guardianship. This measure provides accountability and clarity, protecting the assets of people placed under guardianship.”

Johnson said, “This bipartisan effort is about protecting those who cannot protect themselves by adding more meaningful accountability and oversight to our guardianship system.”

Source:
Johnson’s guardianship reform sent to governor

PPL agrees to pay $162M to caregivers in historic NY class action settlement

by Liza Berger

A total of 200,000  personal assistants in New York’s beleaguered Consumer-Directed Personal Assistance Program (CDPAP) scored a major victory last week after a federal judge approved a proposed $162 million wage-and-hour class action settlement in the case involving Public Partnerships LLC (PPL), the controversial fiscal intermediary installed to oversee the program in 2025.

Under the terms of the settlement — believed to be the largest wage-and-hour class action settlement in New York to date and one of the largest nationally — each personal assistant will receive an average of $680 — more than a full week’s pay. Some 50,000 people will receive between $1,000 and $1,800 from the settlement. Also as part of the agreement, PPL agreed to end a health plan that failed to provide adequate coverage and was unnecessarily costly for workers, attorneys Michael Diller, of The Legal Aid Society, and Hugh Baran, of Katz Banks Kumin LLP, who represented the plaintiffs, told McKnight’s Home Care Daily Pulse on Wednesday.

“We’re just very proud of the overall results and, most importantly, just thrilled that personal assistants who provide such important work caring for some of the most vulnerable disabled and elderly New Yorkers across our state are going to be receiving a really significant benefit from the settlement once it’s approved,” Baran said.

In the case, Calderon v. Public Partnerships, LLC, the plaintiffs alleged that personal workers were not being paid on time when PPL began overseeing the program in 2025.

“One of our plaintiffs who helped us bring the case, Philip Calderon, for example, he didn’t receive any paycheck until around five weeks into the transition class,” Diller said.

Lawyers also brought claims under the New York Home Care Worker Wage Parity Law, which requires that home care workers receive both slightly higher cash minimum wage and a supplemental compensation component, which can be paid in either cash or benefits. PPL chose to fulfill the benefit supplement with a health plan.

“We alleged first that that plan provided little or no value to the personal assistants because it only covered the most basic of preventive healthcare and didn’t provide any coverage for things like illness or injury or hospitalization,” Diller said. “And then we also alleged that PPL was essentially overcharging personal assistants for that plan because it was allocating around 40 cents per hour compensation to that plan, which was a self-funded plan and we alleged cost PPL much less to actually provide.”

The class represented by the suit includes downstate personal assistants in New York City, and Westchester, Nassau and Suffolk counties — where the Wage Parity Law applies. A separate class-action suit is pending in other areas of the state.

PPL has been under fire since the state of New York chose it to replace hundreds of fiscal intermediaries overseeing the program. The federal government recently filed a lawsuit against the state, alleging that its process for choosing PPL was corrupt. Under CDPAP, a Medicaid program, older adults and people with disabilities can choose their own caregivers to administer care in their homes. 

Full Article & Source:
PPL agrees to pay $162M to caregivers in historic NY class action settlement