A South Lyon woman at the center of a long-running elder financial abuse case has quietly taken a no-contest deal, court records show. Tracie Green, 65, pleaded no contest Friday to a single count of embezzlement from a vulnerable adult involving between $20,000 and $50,000, and filings indicate she has already put up $150,000 through her attorney to go toward restitution for the victim’s family. Green is scheduled to be sentenced on July 16 in Oakland County’s Sixth Circuit Court.
Plea hearing and restitution payment
According to ClickOnDetroit, Green entered a no-contest plea to one count of embezzlement from a vulnerable adult involving at least $20,000 but less than $50,000. Court documents reviewed by the outlet show she transferred $150,000 to her lawyer, money that is earmarked for restitution. ClickOnDetroit reports the plea was taken in Oakland County and that sentencing was set for July 16 in the county’s Sixth Circuit Court.
Prosecutors' account of the alleged scheme
In a December 2024 press release, the Michigan Attorney General said Green was a family friend who started assisting with the victim’s care after he developed cognitive decline in 2018, and that she used that role to gain access to his bank and investment accounts. Prosecutors allege she then made changes that allowed her to withdraw funds and took steps that would have made her a beneficiary of accounts totaling more than $400,000. The victim died in 2021, and authorities say some withdrawals continued even after his death.
Charges and earlier reporting
Green was first charged in December 2024 by the Michigan Department of Attorney General, a move that quickly drew local media attention. Fox2 Detroit and other outlets reported that prosecutors accused her of trying to add herself to the victim’s condo interest and of altering investment accounts in 2018 and 2020 so she would inherit part of their value. At her initial arraignment, she was released on a $50,000 personal recognizance bond, according to those reports.
What the law says
Michigan law breaks down embezzlement from a vulnerable adult into several tiers based on the amount involved. A theft of $20,000 to $50,000 is classified as a Class D felony and can carry a maximum sentence of up to 10 years, while higher tiers bring steeper potential penalties. That tiered system is set out in state statute and sentencing tables (MCL 750.174a), according to the Michigan Legislature. Judges can also order restitution and court costs, which could affect how the court views the $150,000 payment in relation to the victim’s claimed losses.
What comes next
At the July 16 sentencing hearing, the court will determine whether the $150,000 already tendered is sufficient to cover restitution and what additional penalties, if any, Green will face. In its initial release, the Attorney General’s office labeled the alleged conduct “baffling and reprehensible,” signaling how closely state prosecutors are watching cases involving elder exploitation. The case remains pending, and as in every criminal matter, Green is presumed innocent until sentencing or another final adjudication by the court.
