A Flint woman has been charged with embezzling a significant amount of money from an elderly man with whom she had a long-term relationship. Constance Marie Roberts, 67, is facing a trial after being accused of taking over $400,000 from the vulnerable adult and committing tax fraud over multiple years, as reported by FOX 2 Detroit.
According to a news release detailed by Michigan's Attorney General Dana Nessel, Roberts took advantage of the victim's cognitive decline to deplete his checking and savings accounts, which amounted to roughly $3 million between 2018 and 2021. "Many older adults have saved for retirement their entire working lives, and sadly they must also plan to protect their assets from people in their lives who would take advantage of them," Nessel said. These allegations cast a shadow on the sanctity of trust and highlight a disturbing exploitation pattern of seniors. The details were further corroborated by an announcement on a Michigan Department of Attorney General press release.
The victim, a married man 20 years Roberts' senior, began to show signs of impairment and Roberts allegedly manipulated the situation to her financial gain. Over time, small monetary gifts evolved into substantial sums and even several vehicles. These actions have led to four counts of embezzling $100,000 or more, paired with an equal number of counts related to tax fraud, including failure to file returns, filing false returns, and making false payments.
Each of the embezzlement counts could result in up to 20 years of incarceration, while the tax fraud offenses carry a penalty of up to five years per count. Nessel's statement signals a firm stance against financial exploitation, "My office will continue to investigate and prosecute complaints of financial exploitation committed against seniors and other vulnerable adults." The trial aims to bring justice for the victim and serve as a deterrent for similar crimes.
