Bloomfield Hills woman charged with stealing more than $70,000 from elderly veteran

Margaret Risdon, 60, of
Bloomfield Hills, was
arraigned on one count
 of embezzlement from a
 vulnerable adult between
 $50,000 and $100,000,
according to a news release
from Michigan Attorney
General Dana Nessel. (Photo:
Oakland County Sheriff's Office)

by Chanel Stitt

An Oakland County business owner is facing multiple criminal charges after allegedly stealing more than $70,000 from an elderly military veteran.

Margaret Risdon, 60, of Bloomfield Hills, was arraigned July 16 on one count of embezzlement from a vulnerable adult between $50,000 and $100,000, a felony punishable by up to 15 years in prison, according to a news release Monday from Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel. Risdon was also arraigned on two counts of failure to pay taxes, a five-year felony.

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Office of the Inspector General was made aware of the situation after the victim reported someone was stealing from him, according to the news release. The case was then referred to the Michigan Attorney General's office and its Elder Abuse Task Force.

Risdon allegedly wrote checks totaling about $56,800 to herself and her business, Electronic Creations from the victim's bank account between November 2016 and July 2017. There were also ATM withdrawals totaling more than $16,000, the news release said.

The victim at the time was suffering with physical and mental ailments and was unable to care for himself while residing in nursing homes and hospitals, the news release said. However, Risdon was not his guardian or conservator, nor did she have power of attorney for the victim.

Nessel said Risdon didn't file the state's income tax returns for the money she received from the victim, resulting in the tax charges. 

Risdon is scheduled to appear in court July 30 at 10 a.m. with a preliminary hearing on Aug. 6 at 10 a.m. She was given a personal recognizance bond of $5,000.

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Bloomfield Hills woman charged with stealing more than $70,000 from elderly veteran

Bloomfield Hills Woman Charged With Stealing $70K From Veteran

(WWJ) A Bloomfield Hills woman has been charged with embezzlement after allegedly taking more than $70,000 from a veteran.
 
The Michigan Attorney General's Office charged 60-year old Margaret Risdon after an investigation by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Office of the Inspector General showed she wrote checks from the victim's bank account to herself and her business called Electronic Creations.

It's alleged that, between Nov. 6, 2016 and July 20, 2017, Risdon allegedly wrote checks from the victim’s bank account to herself and her business, Electronic Creations, totaling nearly $56,800 and made ATM withdrawals totaling more than $16,000. Risdon would then deposit the checks into her bank account and withdraw the money in cash.

The victim, who had been in a nursing home and the hospital, alerted Veterans Affairs that someone was stealing from him.

Risdon was released on a $5,000 personal bond and due back in court for a hearing Thursday.
Attorney General Dana Nessel says more than 73,000 older adults in Michigan are victims of elder abuse each year.

“My office is not only committed to enforcing the laws of this state, but to ensuring Michigan’s vulnerable populations are not taken advantage of,” said Nessel. in a statement. “Even before my time as Attorney General began, I understood the important role my office should play in protecting our senior populations. That’s why I helped to create the Elder Abuse Task Force – to advance protections for our senior citizens and advocate for real change and meaningful legislation to improve their lives well into the twilight years.”

To learn more about the Elder Abuse Task Force and its initiatives, visit this link.

To file a report of elder abuse, call the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services Adult Protective Services at 855-444-3911.
 
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Bloomfield Hills Woman Charged With Stealing $70K From Veteran

Former Presque Isle Co. Public Guardian Charged With Embezzlement

A former Presque Isle County public guardian has been charged with embezzlement.

The Presque Isle Sheriff’s Office recently looked into reports that Shilo Brooke Ferguson embezzled thousands of dollars.

Ferguson is now charged with four counts of embezzlement including one count of embezzling $50,000 to $100,000, and one count for embezzling $20,000 to $50,000.

Deputies say Ferguson was the conservator for the victims in at least three of the cases.

They say the other victim was a decedent’s estate Ferguson represented.

The sheriff says there could be more victims.


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Former Presque Isle Co. Public Guardian Charged With Embezzlement

Man charged with taking house, Mustang, cash from great aunt in Gladwin

A 54-year-old Saginaw man allegedly transferred his great-aunt's Gladwin house and vintage Mustang to himself along with reportedly embezzling more than $200,000 from the 90-year-old woman.

Ricky Bradford Willson, who was his great-aunt's durable power of attorney for 18 months, remains out of jail on a $40,000 personal recognizance bond pending an upcoming hearing in Genesee County 7th Circuit Court.

Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel, who is prosecuting the case, said instead of Willson looking out for his aunt, he transferred $120,000 in cash from his aunt's bank account into his, signed a quit claim deed transferring her house in Gladwin to himself, and transferred the title of her classic 1967 Ford Mustang convertible to himself. This earned Willson four felony charges.

Willson is charged with embezzlement of $100,000 or more (for the $120,000 cash transfer), if found guilty he faces 20 years and/or a fine up to $50,000 or three times the amount embezzled (whichever is greater); embezzlement of $100,000 or more (for the property transfer), if found guilty he faces; 20 years and/or a fine up to $50,000 or three times the amount embezzled (whichever is greater); intent to pass false title (vehicle transfer) if found guilty he faces 10 years and/or $5,000 fine; embezzlement by an agent or trustee of $1,000 or more and less than $20,000 (vehicle transfer) if found guilty he faces five years and/or $10,000 or three times the amount embezzled (whichever is greater).

The alleged incidents occurred in November 2015.

Judge Christopher Odette of the 67th District Court, bound Willson over to the court for trial. This came one day after Nessel joined forces with the Michigan Supreme Court, members of the legislative and executive branches of government and advocacy groups to announce Michigan's Elder Abuse Task Force.

"This is a classic example of financial elder abuse: a trusted relative who took advantage of his aunt," Nessel said via a press release. "He literally took everything from her: her car, her house and her savings account. However, his actions were discovered because she knew things were amiss. The locks had been changed on her house in Gladwin, her classic Mustang convertible was missing, and her savings account was gone.

"She spoke up," Nessel said.

However, Nessel said that not every elderly person has the capacity to speak up when things go awry. Which is why the Elder Abuse Task Force was established -- to increase awareness of elder abuse and to find and implement the best practices across the state so that the elderly are protected.

Willson's case is expected to be heard by 7th Circuit Court Judge Richard B. Yuille, although no court date has been set.

Michigan residents can anonymously report any signs or concerns about elder abuse to the Michigan Department of Attorney General by calling 800-24-ABUSE 800-242-2873 or online at mi.gov/elderabuse.

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Man charged with taking house, Mustang, cash from great aunt in Gladwin