Conservator ordered to refund $41K after paying herself ward’s entire inheritance

By  Justine Lofton 

WAYNE COUNTY, MI – A Michigan conservator has been ordered to refund more than $41,000 to a ward after she billed herself $79,000 for less than a year of work, including the ward’s entire inheritance, authorities announced.

Patricia Dudek is accused of overcharging a vulnerable individual for whom she was appointed guardian and conservator in October 2021, according to a news release from the Michigan Department of Attorney General.

Attorney General Dana Nessel intervened in the case in November. On Wednesday, Jan. 4, Wayne County Probate Judge Lawrence Paolucci ordered Dudek to repay more than $41,000.

In October 2021, Dudek was appointed guardian and conservator for an individual with a yearly income of $30,000, the release said. The individual had also received an inheritance of about $42,000.

Dudek’s accounting shows that from October 2021 to June 2022, she billed the protected person about $79,000, the release said. Within about five weeks of receiving the protected individual’s $42,000 inheritance, Dudek paid herself more than the inheritance, including charging for work she had not yet performed.

Dudek charged her legal hourly rate of $350 for guardianship and conservator services and billed the protected person by providing more than 630 pages of emails, the release said.

Dudek billed the individual $78,962.20 in legal and fiduciary fees. After the refund and other payments, she was allowed to keep $3,136.17, or about 4 percent, of the total she billed.

“While many professional guardians consider their work public service and labor tirelessly on their files — there remain some bad actors out there who exploit vulnerable individuals,” Nessel said in a statement. “Those who take advantage of vulnerable individuals hoping that overwhelmed courts may not notice, beware. Our department will endeavor to intervene in these cases in order to protect the public.”

Anyone who believes they or someone else have been taken advantage of by an attorney serving as a guardian or a conservator can file a grievance with the Attorney Grievance Commission.

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Conservator ordered to refund $41K after paying herself ward’s entire inheritance