A. G. Bill Schuette charges northern MI resident with embezzlement from senior

Attorney General Bill Schuette today announced that his office has charged a Northern Michigan resident, Noel Colette Patton, 40, of Wellston, with one felony count of embezzlement after an investigation found that she took $5,000 from her father for her own personal use. ''Financial exploitation of seniors is a growing problem,'' said Schuette. ''We are cracking down on criminals who target Michigan's vulnerable nursing home residents.'' From June 21, 2010 to September 27, 2010, Patton served as the court-appointed guardian and conservator for her father. At the time, her father was residing in a Manistee county medical care facility and lacked the capacity to care for himself. An investigation by Schuette's office found that, while in control of his assets, Ms. Patton allegedly embezzled $5,000 from her father's account which was paid to a law firm to help keep her residence out of foreclosure. During this time, Patton also failed to make appropriate payments to the facility that was providing for her father's care, despite the fact that he had funds available for that purpose. Ms. Patton was charged with one felony count of Embezzlement from a Vulnerable Adult ($1,000 - $20,000), which carries a penalty of five years and/or a $10,000 fine or three times the value of the money or property embezzled, whichever is greater. Patton was arrested and arraigned today before Judge Thomas Phillips of the 85th District Court in Manistee County. She was released on a personal recognizance bond of $10,000. She is next due in court for a preliminary examination, with the date still to be determined by the court. As the nation's population ages, financial exploitation of seniors is a growing crime. Nursing home residents are the most vulnerable and least likely to be able to detect or report the exploitation. Schuette's office conducts an ongoing enforcement initiative to identify and prosecute financial crimes against Michigan seniors. The Attorney General's Health Care Fraud division works together with Michigan nursing homes to identify residents who are behind on their payments and investigate whether their assets are being stolen. In the majority of cases prosecuted, the perpetrator was a relative. To report suspected financial abuse of a Michigan senior, citizens should call the Attorney General's Health Care Fraud Division Hotline, 1-800-24-ABUSE (1-800-242-2873). A criminal charge is merely an accusation, and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. Copyright © 2011 State of Michigan Published: Mon, Jun 13, 2011