Moberly woman accused of stealing $22,785 from disabled person’s funds

by Jennifer Weiser

A Moberly woman has been charged with the financial exploitation of a disabled person.

Prosecutors charged Angelic G. Nichols with one count of Financial Exploitation Of An Elder/Disabled Person.

Court documents state that Nichols has been the representative payee for a person with mild intellectual disabilities since February 2024.

The documents state that between December 2024 and March 2026, Nichols moved $22,785.23 from the victim’s account to accounts that she controlled.

Officials also said that Nichols took $700 a month to pay her personal bills.

Prosecutors requested an arrest warrant for Nichols’ arrest. 

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Moberly woman accused of stealing $22,785 from disabled person’s funds 

Former Monroe County official sentenced for stealing from disabled wards

By STAFF REPORT

PARIS — A former elected Monroe County official was sentenced Wednesday to 10 years in the Missouri Department of Corrections after pleading guilty to charges including financial exploitation of a disabled person, felony stealing, and filing false documents.

Senior Judge Rick Roberts sentenced Jessica A. Chase, 49, of Paris, under Section 559.115 of the Missouri Revised Statutes, according to the Monroe County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office.

Chase served as Monroe County’s elected public administrator from Jan. 1, 2021, through Feb. 7, 2023. In that role, she was appointed legal guardian and conservator for disabled residents under the county’s care. Monroe County Prosecuting Attorney Nicole Volkert alleged that during her time in office, Chase stole money from the custodial accounts of disabled people she was responsible for protecting.

The Monroe County Sheriff’s Office opened an investigation after a criminal complaint was filed by one of Chase’s wards. Sheriff Joe Colston said the Missouri State Highway Patrol’s Division of Drug and Crime Control and the Missouri Attorney General’s Office assisted in the investigation. A separate federal civil investigation by the Social Security Administration remains pending.

An insurance policy covering the Monroe County Office of Public Administrator previously paid a settlement to victims to cover the amounts taken from their accounts.

As part of Wednesday’s sentencing, Roberts also ordered Chase to pay $12,000 in restitution to cover legal costs incurred by Monroe County.

“Jessica Chase violated her oath of office,” Volkert said. “She stole money from the most vulnerable people in our community.” 

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Former Monroe County official sentenced for stealing from disabled wards 

Judge questions former Sullivan County public guardian about multiple guardianship cases

Former Sullivan County public administrator Joan Brummitt answered for her oversight as guardian

by Matt Flener

MILAN, Mo. —  A former Sullivan County elected public official faced pointed questions from a judge on Tuesday for how she handled the estates of 13 people whom she oversaw as guardian or conservator.

The judge ordered former longtime Sullivan County Public Administrator Joan Brummitt to appear before him on Tuesday — in one case asking why she did not transfer more than $400,000 from a ward’s estate to the new public administrator in the county after Brummitt resigned from office.

Sullivan County Associate Circuit Judge Adam Warren on Tuesday, after hearing an explanation from Brummitt’s attorney, gave Brummitt more time to transfer ownership of that specific ward’s bank and brokerage accounts to the new county public administrator before holding her in contempt.

In 12 other probate cases of former wards, Warren cited Brummitt for failing to file various reports. Brummitt cleared most of those cases by filing the reports in the court record and before Warren on Tuesday.

Brummitt declined to comment to KMBC 9 News about the cases.

Brummitt’s court appearance marks the latest questions from a judge.

In a separate criminal case, she is facing four felony counts of financial exploitation of an older/disabled person and four felony counts of stealing $750 or more.

She has pleaded not guilty.

Brummitt, in her role as Sullivan County Public Administrator, had the responsibility to care for wards of the state.

Public administrators are elected in Missouri to take care of financial and medical decisions for elderly or mentally ill patients when a judge decides family or friends can no longer care for them.

Court documents in Brummitt's criminal case

Previous court documents allege Brummitt moved money last October from an elderly ward’s bank account to her personal bank account on four separate occasions.

A Missouri State Highway Patrol investigator said on Oct. 14, 2025, Brummitt used her personal cell phone and online banking app to send money from the ward’s account through three separate transactions, totaling $999, $1,900 and $1,980.

She made another online $999 transfer on Oct. 16, the MSHP investigator said in court documents.

The total amount came to $5,878.

Brummitt is charged with four felony counts of financial exploitation of an older/disabled person and four felony counts of stealing $750 or more.

A Missouri State Highway Patrol investigator testified last month that Brummitt admitted to the highway patrol that she moved money from the ward’s account to hers.

The investigator told the court that Brummitt admitted to highway patrol investigators that hackers told her to move the money.

Brummitt’s criminal attorney, Mark Williams, has previously told KMBC 9 News that Brummitt is innocent until proven guilty.

In a series called "Paper Prisons," KMBC 9 News is investigating ways to systemically improve the care of those under guardianship by highlighting stories of people struggling to navigate a tangled system of legal paperwork, medical records and court orders.

If you have a tip about a Missouri guardianship case, email investigates@kmbc.com. 

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Judge questions former Sullivan County public guardian about multiple guardianship cases 

See Also:
Sullivan County elected official accused of stealing thousands from disabled person

Missouri elected guardian charged with 8 felonies for stealing from ward

Missouri public guardian pleads not guilty to eight felony counts

Judge: Missouri public guardian’s felony financial crime case can move forward   

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Judge: Missouri public guardian’s felony financial crime case can move forward

Sullivan County Public Administrator Joan Brummitt is charged with eight felonies connected to alleged financial crimes

by Matt Flener

MILAN, Mo. — A Missouri elected public guardian’s felony financial crime case will move forward after a preliminary hearing at the Sullivan County courthouse on Wednesday.

Joan Brummitt is accused of stealing nearly $6,000 from a ward of the state under her care, according to court documents.

Brummitt, in her role as Sullivan County Public Administrator, has the responsibility to care for wards of the state.

Public administrators are elected in Missouri to take care of financial and medical decisions for elderly or mentally ill patients when a judge decides family or friends can no longer care for them.

Brummitt appeared in court with her attorney, Mark Williams.

Williams cross-examined Missouri State Highway Patrol investigator Barbara Littrell about Brummitt’s admission to the highway patrol that she moved money from the ward’s account to hers.

Littrell told the court that Brummitt admitted to highway patrol investigators that hackers told her to move the money.

“Bottom line is she conducted the transfers,” Littrell said on the witness stand before Ninth Circuit Court Presiding Judge Terry Tschannen.

Littrell told the court that she worked with employees at Putnam County State Bank to uncover the alleged crimes.

KMBC asked Brummitt’s attorney if she was coerced or told to transfer the ward’s money into her personal account.

“Either that or if they were hacking into her phone,” said Mark Williams. “Regardless of what she thought, you know, they could do it anyway, because as I cross-examined the officer, there are ways depending on the bank and the security system the bank has that they can access people's accounts and they can go back and forth on your own account if you have more than one account.”

Judge Tschannen found enough probable cause existed to keep the case moving forward to trial. He referred the case to allow the Missouri Supreme Court to choose another judge.

Court documents allege Brummitt moved money in October from an elderly ward’s bank account to her personal bank account on four separate occasions.

A Missouri State Highway Patrol investigator said on Oct. 14, 2025, Brummitt used her personal cell phone and online banking app to send money from the ward’s account through three separate transactions, totaling $999, $1,900 and $1,980.

She made another online $999 transfer on Oct. 16, the MSHP investigator said in court documents.

The total amount came to $5,878.

Brummitt is charged with four felony counts of financial exploitation of an older/disabled person and four felony counts of stealing $750 or more.

Brummitt still holds office. But a judge has restricted her from making financial decisions on behalf of her wards.

In a series called "Paper Prisons," KMBC 9 News is investigating ways to systemically improve the care of those under guardianship by highlighting stories of people struggling to navigate a tangled system of legal paperwork, medical records and court orders. 

Full Article & Source:
Judge: Missouri public guardian’s felony financial crime case can move forward

See Also:
Missouri public guardian pleads not guilty to eight felony counts

Missouri elected guardian charged with 8 felonies for stealing from ward

Missouri public guardian pleads not guilty to eight felony counts

Joan Brummitt, 65, is accused of stealing nearly $6,000 from a ward of the state under her care

by Matt Flener

MILAN, Mo. — The lights stayed off Wednesday morning inside Joan Brummitt’s office, which she has occupied for 20 years as public administrator at the Sullivan County Courthouse.

Brummitt, 65, instead sat on a bench one floor up as she waited for her first appearance before the county’s presiding judge to face eight felony charges.

Brummitt is accused of stealing nearly $6,000 from a ward of the state under her care.

She waived her right to hear the charges against her on Wednesday and pleaded not guilty. Her preliminary hearing is scheduled for January.

As a public administrator, Brummitt is typically a court-appointed guardian of the county’s elderly and mentally disabled population when family or friends can no longer care for them.

Court documents allege Brummitt moved money in October from an elderly ward’s bank account to her personal bank account on four separate occasions.

A Missouri State Highway Patrol investigator said on Oct. 14, 2025, Brummitt used her personal cellphone and online banking app to send money from the ward’s account through three separate transactions, totaling $999, $1,900, and $1,980.

She made another online $999 transfer on Oct. 16, the MSHP investigator said in court documents.

The total amount came to $5,878.

Brummitt is charged with four felony counts of financial exploitation of an older/disabled person and four felony counts of stealing $750 or more.

Brummitt still holds office. But a judge has restricted her from making financial decisions on behalf of her wards.

Brummitt declined to comment about the charges and referred questions to her attorney, Mark Williams.

"It's always a different case when I represent a public official because of the trust that the people give somebody," said Williams. "So, you really want to watch what we're doing, and we’ve got to make sure we understand what happened in this case."

Williams told KMBC 9 Investigates he is planning more investigation into the allegations by the prosecutor.

"I want everybody to keep an open mind and remember what our constitution says: We’re innocent until proven guilty," he said.

In a new series called "Paper Prisons," KMBC 9 News is investigating ways to systemically improve the care of those under guardianship by highlighting stories of people struggling to navigate a tangled system of legal paperwork, medical records and court orders.

KMBC is also seeking answers, perspective and context from those in charge of keeping wards of the state in their care for their recommendations on how to improve the system.

Throughout the next year, KMBC will continue to explore the problems and solutions for Missouri’s public guardianship system.

We need your help.

If you know of someone going through struggles with Missouri’s public guardianship system, or if you have a case to highlight that exposes solutions for Missouri’s public guardianship system that could teach lessons to others, please email investigates@kmbc.com. 

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Missouri public guardian pleads not guilty to eight felony counts 

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Paper Prisons: Missouri woman details struggle to leave public guardianship after husband's death

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Sullivan County elected official accused of stealing thousands from disabled person 

Missouri elected guardian charged with 8 felonies for stealing from ward

Joan Brummitt, 65, is accused of stealing nearly $6,000 from a ward under her care.

by Matt Flener

MILAN, Mo. —

A Missouri elected public guardian is now charged with eight felonies in connection with stealing nearly $6,000 from a ward of the state under her care.

Joan Brummitt, 65, public administrator of Sullivan County, is accused in court documents of moving money from the ward’s bank account to her personal bank account on four separate occasions.

A Missouri State Highway Patrol investigator said on Oct. 14, 2025, Brummitt used her personal cellphone and online banking app to send money from the ward’s account through three separate transactions, totaling $999, $1,900 and $1,980.

She made another online $999 transfer on Oct. 16, the MSHP investigator said in court documents.

The total amount came to $5,878.

Brummitt is charged with four felony counts of financial exploitation of an older/disabled person and four felony counts of stealing $750 or more.

Brummitt is scheduled to be arraigned on Dec. 3.

A judge has recused himself from the case. The judge also ordered Brummitt not to access or make any transactions on any accounts belonging to any of her wards or any person for whom she serves as conservator by order of the probate division of any court.

Brummitt’s attorney, Mark Williams, told KMBC 9 Investigates that he is just beginning his investigation into the case and emphasized that even though charges have been filed, Brummitt is innocent until proven guilty.

In a new series called “Paper Prisons,” KMBC 9 News is investigating ways to systemically improve the care of those under guardianship by highlighting stories of people struggling to navigate a tangled system of legal paperwork, medical records and court orders.

KMBC is also seeking answers, perspective and context from those in charge of keeping wards of the state in their care for their recommendations on how to improve the system.

Throughout the next year, KMBC will continue to explore the challenges and opportunities for improvement in Missouri’s public guardianship system.

We need your help.

If you know of someone going through struggles with Missouri’s public guardianship system, or if you have a case to highlight that exposes solutions for Missouri’s public guardianship system that could teach lessons to others, please email investigates@kmbc.com. 

Full Article & Source:
Missouri elected guardian charged with 8 felonies for stealing from ward 

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Paper Prisons: Missouri woman details struggle to leave public guardianship after husband's death

Paper Prisons: Missouri man continues fight to free his mother from public guardianship 

Sullivan County elected official accused of stealing thousands from disabled person

Sullivan County elected official accused of stealing thousands from disabled person

by John Garlock

Sullivan County Public Administrator Joan Brummitt, of Milan, Missouri, faces eight felony charges. (Photo: Missouri Association of Public Administrators)

MILAN, Mo. — A northeast Missouri elected official, who is entrusted to handle the financial affairs of those who aren't able to do it themselves, is accused of breaking that trust.

Sullivan County Public Administrator Joan Brummitt, 65, of Milan, is facing eight felony charges, accused of stealing $5,878.99 from a partially disabled person, whose finances she helped manage.

Brummitt is charged with four counts of stealing $750 or more and four counts of financial exploitation of a disabled person.

According to court documents, in October 2022, Brummitt was appointed as a limited conservator for the victim in this case.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol says in court documents that four separate times last month, Brummitt used her personal cell phone and online banking app at her home in Milan to conduct cash transfers from the victim's bank account into her own bank account, without the victim's consent.

Sullivan County Associate Circuit Judge Adam Warren has recused himself from Brummitt’s case and asked the circuit judge to assign a new judge to the case. 

Full Article & Source:
Sullivan County elected official accused of stealing thousands from disabled person 

Moro woman charged with exploiting disabled person financially

East Alton police charge woman with exploiting disabled person, allegedly taking over $500

By Scott Cousins

Moro woman charged with exploiting disabled person, several charged with passing bad checks.

Getty Images

EDWARDSVILLE — A Moro woman was charged Thursday with the financial exploitation of a disabled person.

 The 51-year-old suspect was charged on Nov. 21 with financial exploitation of a person with a disability and theft, both Class 3 felonies.

The East Alton Police Department presented the case.

According to court documents, between July 1-Oct. 9, 2022, the suspect obtained by deception control of the property of a disabled person, specifically between $300-$5,000 cash; and took in excess of $500 from the victim.

Court records show the suspect has an extensive criminal history, including multiple drug-related arrests and convictions going back to 2004, had an active warrant and was on conditional discharge in a Jersey County case.

She was ordered released from custody.

Alton woman faces burglary, credit card fraud charges

A 38-year-old Alton woman was charged with burglary, a Class 3 felony; and unlawful use of a credit or debit card, a Class 4 felony.

The Alton Police Department presented the case.

According to court documents, on Sept. 1, the suspect allegedly entered a Kia Sedona in the 2400 block of Sanford Avenue, Alton, to commit theft; and used a credit or debit card taken from the vehicle to purchase items valued in excess of $300 at various gas stations.

She was ordered released from custody.

These individuals have only been charged and remain innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. All charges may not be reported.

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Moro woman charged with exploiting disabled person financially