Michigan woman spends $1.1M of mother’s money after being named her guardian due to strokes, AG says

Valda Cork facing 4 charges

by Derick Hutchinson

SAGINAW, Mich. – After her mother had multiple strokes and was unable to care for herself, a Michigan woman is accused of spending $1.1 million of her money without permission, including the purchase of a $660,000 condo in Florida that she later hoped to inherit.

Officials said Valda Cork, 59, of Saginaw, was appointed her mother’s guardian and conservator in 2018. Her mother had had multiple strokes and was not able to care for herself, according to Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel.

Cork is accused of spending about $1.1 million of her mother’s money over a 12-month period. Officials said Cork spent $228,817 for purchases that were not reported to probate court. She also used $664,872 to buy a condo in Pompano Beach, Florida, without authorization, according to Nessel.

Cork’s plan was to inherit the condo from her mother’s estate without having to go through probate court, cheating the estate out of $664,872, authorities said.

“A person who takes advantage of a vulnerable person is deplorable,” Nessel said. “A person who commits these types of crimes will be prosecuted and held accountable.”

Cork was arraigned in 70th District Court on two counts of embezzlement from a vulnerable adult over $100,000 and two counts of taxes -- failure to file/false return/payment.

The embezzlement charges are each 20-year felonies, and the tax charges are each five-year felonies.

A probable cause conference was held Sept. 26, and a preliminary examination will be scheduled at a later date.

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Michigan woman spends $1.1M of mother’s money after being named her guardian due to strokes, AG says