Shelley Letzer, a 67-year-old resident of West Bloomfield, faces serious charges for her involvement in a financial exploitation case against an elderly Michigan man. According to Michigan's Office of the Attorney General, Letzer has been arraigned on four felony charges. This arraignment comes in the wake of actions by her co-defendant, Kirk Lanam of Hartland, who was similarly charged just a week prior.
The pair are accused of having taken advantage of an 87-year-old man by obtaining his legal power of attorney under false pretenses. It's alleged that they were well aware the man was considered vulnerable and already had an appointed guardian. As part an ongoing investigation, Attorney General Dana Nessel has condemned the abuse of power, stressing that exploiting those under the care of others won't be tolerated. "Abusing the authority granted by a power of attorney to exploit vulnerable adults is an egregious violation of trust," Nessel said. Letzer herself is implicated for writing checks to herself from the victim's funds, accused of embezzling thousands, according to Michigan's Office of the Attorney General.
For her part, Letzer now faces three counts of embezzlement from a vulnerable adult in the amount between $1,000 and $20,000, each count carrying a maximum sentence of five years. Additionally, she is charged with fraudulently obtaining a signature, which could lead to a ten-year sentence if she's found guilty. The allegations signal a breach of fiduciary duty entailing severe legal repercussions.
The next court appearance is scheduled for February 10. As the investigation continues, more details about the alleged scheme involving Lanam and Letzer are expected to be revealed.
