Cases advance against 2 accused of embezzling $500K-plus from 87-year-old man

Instances have been claimed for 2 accused of darkening lots of of 1000’s of {dollars} from an 87-year-old man.

Shelley Letzer, 68, from West Bloomfield is accused of six counts of embezzlement of a weak grownup $ 100,000 or extra, and one of many fraudulent has the acquiring a signature and motorized vehicle code intent to cross a false title. Kirk Lanam, 53, of Hartland is accused of 5 counts of embezzlement of a weak grownup $ 100,000 or extra, and one counting of fraudulent getting a signature.

The instances had been claimed on Tuesday from the courtroom for attainable trial in Oakland County Circuit Courtroom.

Allegedly the crimes passed off within the West Bloomfield Group Dwelling Run by Letzer, the place the supposed sufferer lived. Letzer and Lanam are accused of acquiring authorized proxy over J. Edward Kloian, in distinction to the regulation. In 2024 the Probate Courtroom of Washtenaw County Kloian discovered work disabled and a guardian was appointed, however Lanam had appointed himself and Letzer as his proxy, mentioned officers.

In accordance with Michigan’s legal professional’s workplace, Letzer is accused of darkening greater than $ 400,000 of Kloian and tries to obscure no less than $ 200,000 from him. Allegedly, Lanam has darkened greater than $ 500,000 from Kloian for his personal benefit and can be utilized with the alleged non-profit he checked, Veteran’s Service Canine Group. Positioned in Howell, the group reportedly trains service animals for American army veterans.

As talked about earlier, the criticism that Lanam opened a checking account with virtually $ 800,000 of Kloian’s cash, reportedly to finance a charity of a veterans, he would subsequently have spent $ 400,000 of the cash on an RV, automobile, trailers, lease, pc and extra, and he pays $ 18,000. Kloian didn’t know that he gave Lanam a unique cash than a number of hundred {dollars} compensation as a result of he was his proxy, mentioned the AG’s workplace.

Establishing a weak grownup is punishable with a most of 20 years in jail. Getting a signature and motorized vehicle code intentions to acquire the false title fraudulently could be punished with a most of 10 years in jail.

Prevention for Letzer and Lanam in Oakland County Circuit Courtroom is being handled.

Initially printed: September 3, 2025 at 10:08 am Edt