A 33-year-old man from Redford, Darius Nance, faces a felony charge of embezzlement after allegedly taking thousands from his grandfather post his admission into a nursing home. Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel's office disclosed the charges, reporting that Nance could face a sentence of up to five years and/or a hefty fine if convicted. The charge specifically implies embezzling funds from a vulnerable adult, as reported by The Detroit News.
Nance was entrusted with the guardianship of his elderly relative by the Oakland County Probate Court on February 22, 2023. It didn't take long for allegations to surface that he failed to use his position to adequately provide for his grandfather's care. Instead, Nessel's office contends, Nance opted to wrongfully enrich himself, systematically writing checks for "his own personal business dealings," as opposed to meeting the needs of his kin, as per details provided by Audacy.
The alleged financial abuse came to light following an investigation by the AG’s Health Care Fraud Division. The sums embezzled are reported to range between $1,000 to under $20,000. Court documents obtained by ClickOnDetroit indicate that Nance has not made any payments to the nursing facility since his appointment as guardian.
Defense attorney Brian Fenech, who represented Nance during the arraignment, was appointed for the arraignment only and had no additional comments, as mentioned in a statement obtained by The Detroit News. Nance is expected to soon appear in the 48th District Court for a probable cause conference scheduled for September 3. The preliminary exam is set to be held on September 9, where more details about the case are anticipated to unfold. Dana Nessel reasserted her office's commitment to prosecuting those who exploit their guardianship status, affirming in her press release that "My office will continue to hold accountable those who use guardianships to unlawfully enrich themselves."
