OAKLAND COUNTY, Mich. (WXYZ) — An Oakland County woman allegedly stole more than $70,000 from an elderly veteran, the Michigan attorney general's office reports.
Margaret Risdon, 60, of Bloomfield Hills, was arraigned on one count of embezzlement from a vulnerable adult between $50k and $100k, a 15-year felony, and two counts of failing to file taxes, both five-year felonies.
The victim raised concerns that someone was stealing from him.
Between Nov. 6, 2016 and July 20, 2017, Risdon allegedly wrote checks from the victim’s bank account to herself and her business, Electronic Creations, totaling nearly $56,800 and made ATM withdrawals totaling more than $16,000. Risdon would then allegedly deposit the checks into her bank account and withdraw the money in cash.
During the time of the alleged theft, the victim was unable to care for himself as he suffered from physical and mental ailments and resided in nursing homes and hospitals, the AG's office said. Risdon did not have power of attorney for the victim, nor serve as his guardian or conservator.
The AG's office said Risdon also did not file State of Michigan income tax returns to account for the roughly $72,000 she received from the victim in 2016 and 2017.
“My office is not only committed to enforcing the laws of this state, but to ensuring Michigan’s vulnerable populations are not taken advantage of,” Dana Nessel said. “Even before my time as Attorney General began, I understood the important role my office should play in protecting our senior populations. That’s why I helped to create the Elder Abuse Task Force – to advance protections for our senior citizens and advocate for real change and meaningful legislation to improve their lives well into the twilight years.”
