Burtchville Woman Sentenced for Embezzling More than $86,000

September 16, 2024

LANSING – Today, Lisa Marie Tramski, 57, of Burtchville, was sentenced to one year of probation by Judge Daniel A. Damman in the 31st Circuit Court in St. Clair County after paying $51,600.75 in restitution, announced Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel. Tramski pled guilty in July to one count of Embezzlement of $50,000 or more, but less than $100,000 for embezzling funds from an elderly woman after becoming her court-appointed guardian. 

Tramski was appointed in early 2018 as guardian for the victim, who died only weeks later. About a week before the death, Tramski had the victim sign a will leaving everything to Tramski. Despite knowing there were legal challenges to the will, Tramski proceeded to take $86,033.75 from the victim’s accounts. Ultimately, the probate court invalidated the will benefitting Tramski.   

“Guardians and conservators are appointed to care for those they serve, not exploit or steal from them in their time of need,” said Nessel. “My office remains committed to pursuing those who abuse their positions and advocating for stronger legislation to better protect elders from harm.”  

Michigan's Elder Abuse Task Force launched in 2019 and consists of more than 55 different organizations in the public, private and nonprofit sections - all working together to combat elder abuse. The more than 100 individuals on the Task Force are divided into seven committees working diligently to accomplish nine initiatives (PDF), including requiring certification and training for professional guardians.  

Earlier this year, the Department testified in support of House Bills 4909, 4910, 4911, and 4912, a bill package aimed at reforming Michigan’s guardianship statutes. The Department also supports Senate Bill 656, which would restrict the type of investments a conservator can make with estate property. Additionally, Attorney General Nessel and the Task Force have advocated for legislation to establish family consent laws and PPOs for elder/vulnerable adults, as well as a guardian certification initiative.  

More than 100,000 older adults in Michigan are victims of elder abuse. They experience abuse, neglect, and exploitation. Michigan residents seeking elder abuse resources are encouraged to call 800-24-ABUSE (22873), or 855-444-3911 to report suspected elder abuse.

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Burtchville Woman Sentenced for Embezzling More than $86,000

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Burtchville Woman Pleads Guilty to Embezzling More than $86,000

Burtchville Woman Pleads Guilty to Embezzling More than $86,000

July 23, 2024

LANSING – Yesterday, Lisa Marie Tramski, 57, of Burtchville, pled guilty in the 31st Circuit Court in St. Clair County to one count of Embezzlement of $50,000 or more, but less than $100,000, announced Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel. Tramski embezzled more than $86,000 from an elderly woman after becoming her court-appointed guardian. Tramski will pay $51,600.75 in restitution prior to sentencing as part of the plea. 

Tramski, who was charged with three felony counts in February, was appointed in early 2018 as guardian for the victim, who died only weeks later. About a week before the death, Tramski had the victim sign a will leaving everything to Tramski. Despite knowing there were legal challenges to the will, Tramski proceeded to take $86,033.75 from the victim’s accounts. Ultimately, the probate court invalidated the will benefitting Tramski.  

“The plea secured today marks a significant step toward justice,” Nessel said. “My department will continue to pursue accountability for those who are unable to protect themselves and ensure perpetrators face consequences for their actions.” 

Tramski will be sentenced on Sept. 16th at 9:30 a.m. in front of Judge Daniel A. Damman in 31st Circuit Court in St. Clair County.

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Burtchville Woman Pleads Guilty to Embezzling More than $86,000

Wabasha woman sentenced for embezzling over $3 million

by Mike Bunge

WABASHA, Minn. – A southeast Minnesota woman is sentenced for embezzling over $3 million from her employer.

Sharon Ann Schmalzriedt, 62 of Wabasha, was charged with felony theft and financial exploitation of a vulnerable adult.  She pleaded guilty to the theft charge and the other was dismissed as part of a plea deal.

The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension says Schmalzriedt began an online affair in October 2019 with an individual identified as “Erik Lockwood.”  Investigators say “Lockwood” told Schmalzriedt he was owed $7 million for work “Lockwood” did in Dubai but needed to borrow United States currency in order to get that money.

According to court documents, Schmalzriedt began sending “Lockwood” her own money, then began stealing money for him from the Lewiston-based business Schmalzriedt worked for as a bookkeeper.  Agents say Schmalzriedt also stole money from a vulnerable adult she was financially responsible for and sent it to “Lockwood.”

Investigators say Schmalzriedt embezzled $3,751,337.06 from the business and $17,150 from the vulnerable adult.

Schmalzriedt has now been sentenced to five years of supervised probation and 1,000 hours of community work service.  She has also been ordered to repay the money stolen from the business.

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Wabasha woman sentenced for embezzling over $3 million

Jury Convicts Scottville Woman on 11 Counts for Embezzlement from a Vulnerable Adult

September 15, 2023

LANSING – Yesterday, Jessica Englebrecht, 36, of Scottville, was found guilty by a Mason County jury of all 11 charged counts for abusing her authority as a guardian and embezzling from 10 vulnerable adults she was appointed to protect and commingling her clients’ funds, announced Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel. 

The jury, in the 51st Circuit Court in Ludington, convicted Englebrecht of:  

• Eight counts of embezzlement from a vulnerable adult – $1,000 or more but less than $20,000, a five-year felony and/or a $10,000 fine, or three times the value of the money or property involved, whichever is greater;
• One count of vulnerable adults – caregiver commingling funds/obstructing investigations, a two-year high court misdemeanor and/or $25,000 fine;
• One count of embezzlement from a vulnerable adult – $200 or more but less than $1,000, a one-year misdemeanor and/or a $2,000 fine, or three times the value of the money or property involved, whichever is greater; and
• One count of embezzlement from a vulnerable adult – less than $200, a 93-day misdemeanor and/or a $500 fine, or three times the value of the money or property involved, whichever is greater.

Michigan State Police began investigating Englebrecht in 2019 together with Adult Protective Services. Englebrecht stood trial for embezzling more than $20,000 from 10 vulnerable adults. Englebrecht was appointed as a guardian and/or conservator for the adults from 2017 to 2019. 

“Those the state trusts in court-appointed positions of power as guardians and conservators must be held to the highest standards and must be held accountable when they use their position criminally,” said Nessel. “I applaud the jury and prosecutors for securing justice in this case, and the investigators at Michigan State Police and Adult Protective Services for their commitment to uncovering this abuse. Michigan’s Elder Abuse Task Force has many recommendations to protect those under guardianship, including the certification of appointed guardians, and I remain committed to pursuing that measure.”

Attorney General Nessel has made elder abuse a top priority for her administration, assisting in the creation of the Michigan Elder Abuse Task Force. The task force has outlined several recommendations to improve protections for Michigan’s elderly populations, including proposing a certification requirement for those serving as guardians. Currently, no qualification or training is necessary to be a guardian, just a judge’s appointment.

Englebrecht will next appear for sentencing, scheduled for October 31, 2023.

Visit the Attorney General’s website for more information on the Elder Abuse Task Force.  

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Jury Convicts Scottville Woman on 11 Counts for Embezzlement from a Vulnerable Adult

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Conservator says she's targeted by AG task force

Scottville woman convicted on embezzlement from a vulnerable adult charges

by Michelle Fedder

A Scottville woman was found guilty on multiple charges in a case in which she was accused of embezzling from 10 vulnerable adults she was appointed to protect and commingling her clients’ funds.

Jessica Englebrecht, 36, of Scottville, was found guilty in Mason County’s 51st Circuit Court on Sept. 14 by a Mason County jury, according to a news release from Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel.  

She was found guilty of the following charges:

Eight counts of embezzlement from a vulnerable adult — $1,000 or more but less than $20,000, a five-year felony and/or a $10,000 fine, or three times the value of the money or property involved, whichever is greater;

• One count of vulnerable adults — caregiver commingling funds/obstructing investigations, a two-year high court misdemeanor and/or $25,000 fine;
• One count of embezzlement from a vulnerable adult — $200 or more but less than $1,000, a one-year misdemeanor and/or a $2,000 fine, or three times the value of the money or property involved, whichever is greater; and
• One count of embezzlement from a vulnerable adult — less than $200, a 93-day misdemeanor and/or a $500 fine, or three times the value of the money or property involved, whichever is greater. 

High court misdemeanors are similar to a felony but have punishments that are not as harsh. 

Michigan State Police began investigating Englebrecht in 2019 together with Adult Protective Services, according to a news release. 

Englebrecht stood trial for embezzling more than $20,000 from 10 vulnerable adults. Englebrecht was appointed as a guardian and/or conservator for the adults from 2017 to 2019.  

“Those the state trusts in court-appointed positions of power as guardians and conservators must be held to the highest standards and must be held accountable when they use their position criminally,” Nessel said in a news release. “I applaud the jury and prosecutors for securing justice in this case, and the investigators at Michigan State Police and Adult Protective Services for their commitment to uncovering this abuse."

Nessel has made elder abuse a top priority for her administration, assisting in the creation of the Michigan Elder Abuse Task Force. The task force has outlined several recommendations to improve protections for Michigan’s elderly populations, including proposing a certification requirement for those serving as guardians. Currently, no qualification or training is necessary to be a guardian, only a judge’s appointment. 

Englebrecht will next appear in court for sentencing, scheduled for Oct. 31. 

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Scottville woman convicted on embezzlement from a vulnerable adult charges

Judge demands harsh sentence for ex-attorney accused of embezzling millions from Utah clients

Former Salt Lake City attorney Calvin Curtis faced about six years in prison as part of a plea agreement. The judge insisted on more prison time.

 

(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) Traffic passes the federal courthouse in Salt Lake City on Friday, March 13, 2020. At a hearing on Tuesday, a federal judge tossed out a sentencing proposal for former Salt Lake City estate attorney Calvin Curtis, demanding that the lawyer accused of defrauding his clients of millions receive a harsher prison sentence.

By Kolbie Peterson

A federal judge in Utah tossed out a sentencing proposal Tuesday for former Salt Lake City estate attorney Calvin Curtis, demanding that the man accused of defrauding his clients out of millions receive a harsher prison sentence.

The proposal of about six years in prison had been agreed upon by federal prosecutors and Curtis’ defense attorney ahead of the hearing. U.S. District Judge David Barlow was expected to take it into consideration before imposing a sentence.

Instead, rejecting the proposal altogether, Barlow said that as Curtis allegedly stole $12.7 million from 26 of his clients — all elderly, disabled or incapacitated — over about 13 years, the suspected fraud was “cold-blooded, premeditated and repeated.”

Curtis “perverted” the law, Barlow continued, and “enriched himself on the backs of those who needed his help.”

‘Lavish lifestyle’

Prosecutors have argued Curtis used that money to fund a “lavish lifestyle,” which included frequent travel, expensive gifts, tickets to basketball and football games, and pricey renovations and mortgage payments on his former mansion home and office on South Temple.

Assistant U.S. attorney Ruth Hackford-Peer said in Tuesday’s hearing that the proposed sentence of 73 months in prison was not a perfect resolution, “but it’s a good one.”

Several of Curtis’ victims attended the hearing, filling the courtroom along with family members and caregivers. One mother pushed in a stroller her disabled 9-year-old daughter, who wore a yellow bow in her hair and braces on both wrists.

They were expecting Barlow to issue a sentence, and many made statements during the hearing. One woman walked up to the podium while holding onto a loved one’s arm to steady herself. A man in a wheelchair gave 62-year-old Curtis a long look as he passed the table where Curtis sat with his attorney.

As the victims shared their stories of how devastating it has been to lose money that they would have used for various needs such as food, clothing, medicine and health care, a common refrain was for Barlow to impose the maximum sentence.

“I don’t think Calvin is human,” one woman said quietly. “I feel that he’s the devil.”

In a statement Tuesday, Curtis said, “A lot of people have talked about me, and most of what they have said is true. I’m very sorry for that.”

‘Heinous’ crimes

When it came time for Barlow to announce a decision, he said the proposed prison sentence — plus a restitution judgment of $12.7 million and supervised release for three years as part of Curtis’ plea agreement — was not harsh enough.

Since Curtis’ crimes were “so heinous,” Barlow said, he should receive a prison sentence at the higher end of the range that is customary in such a case, which is 10 years.

The judge added that he is “not convinced” that Curtis — who is charged with wire fraud and money laundering — takes responsibility for his actions or feels remorse.

Barlow asked the attorneys for both sides to negotiate again and come up with a new sentencing proposal. A new hearing date was not immediately set.

A spokesperson for the U.S. Attorney’s Office declined to comment.

Laura Milliken Gray, an attorney for a woman with Alzheimer’s disease from whom Curtis has admitted to embezzling more than $9 million, called Barlow’s decision a “surprise.”

Her client’s daughter-in-law, Sherry McConkey, said she is “excited” at the prospect of Curtis getting more time in prison than expected. But she added that it’s “hard” the case will go on longer, “because I just want it to be over and done with.”

Greg Skordas, Curtis’ attorney, said, “We were not surprised. We’re disappointed.”

“We came a long way and hoped to be able to seal the deal today,” he continued. “It’s not the end. We’re not finished.”

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Judge demands harsh sentence for ex-attorney accused of embezzling millions from Utah clients

Lawyer charged with embezzling $426k

A former attorney has been charged with stealing $426,000 from his clients.

Connecticut State Police say 65-year-old John Butts, of Salem, has been charged with first-degree larceny after taking funds from two people he had represented in probate matters.

Police say in one of the instances, the former Salem probate judge failed to provide a woman more than $150,000 from the sale of her late father's condominium. In another instance, Butts took about $276,000 from a client.

The state Division of Criminal Justice says Butts was suspended from practicing law last February and surrendered his law license in September.

He's been released pending his arraignment in Norwich Superior Court on Jan. 25. A phone number listed for Butts was unable to accept new messages Thursday because its inbox was full.

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Lawyer charged with embezzling $426k