Charges have been filed against a Hartland man, Kirk Lanam, aged 52, alleging the embezzlement of over $400,000 from an 87-year-old man to benefit both himself and his nonprofit. According to CBS News Detroit, Lanam faces five felony charges, including one count of fraudulently obtaining a signature and four counts of embezzlement from a vulnerable adult. Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel has said, "We will thoroughly investigate allegations of wrongdoing against our vulnerable adult population and prosecute those who prey on them."
The case has attracted considerable attention due to the significant sum involved and the alleged exploitation of an individual considered a vulnerable or incapacitated adult. As reported by ClickOnDetroit, Lanam is said to have unlawfully obtained legal power of attorney last March, despite the man having a court-appointed guardian. Bond for Lanam has been set at $150,000, and he has plead not guilty to the charges laid out.
Lanam's purported nonprofit, the Veteran's Service Dog Organization based in Howell, is also under scrutiny. An investigation by 6 News, as detailed by WLNS, suggests Lanam was inflating his military service while running the nonprofit. The investigation also uncovered allegations that Lanam had begun flaunting expensive items amid the nonprofit's financial struggles.
Records obtained by the Oakland County investigation seem to show Lanam overtaking the elderly veteran's financial affairs at a time when the service dog organization was struggling to meet its obligations. "My Department takes reports of elder abuse very seriously," Nessel told WLNS, reinforcing the state's commitment to vigorously pursue justice in such cases. Lanam's pre-exam conference has been set for early February, with a preliminary examination to soon follow, as the legal process unfolds to determine the extent of the alleged wrongdoing and to secure accountability.
