A St. Clair Shores man accused of embezzling money from an elderly woman is facing felony charges for allegedly ripping off another senior, officials said.
Eric Williams, 60, has been charged with obtaining money under false pretenses, the Macomb County Prosecutor’s Office said on Tuesday. He was arraigned on Wednesday in 41A District Court in Shelby Township, the office said.
He is charged with obtaining between $1,000 and $20,000 under false pretenses, third notice, a 10-year felony. Prosecutors said Williams is also charged as a four-time habitual offender, which means he faces up to life in prison if convicted.
A magistrate set his bond at $25,000 and scheduled his next court hearing for June 1, 2026.
Court records did not list an attorney for Williams on Tuesday.
Authorities allege that the defendant approached a 76-year-old Macomb Township woman at her home on May 23, 2025, and provided her with an estimate to paint the house’s interior. He also allegedly requested and received a 50% deposit, officials said.
They said Williams returned to the home on multiple occasions over the following months to solicit additional funds and told the woman the payments would go towards the remaining balance for the project, which he said would begin in August 2025.
However, police said Williams never performed any painting services, and he obtained about $4,600 from the victim.
Earlier this month, the county prosecutor’s office charged Williams with allegedly embezzling more than $30,000 from a senior citizen in Clinton Township. His next hearing in that case has been scheduled for July 23, according to court records.
Officials said he allegedly approached a woman at her newly constructed home on Jan. 9. Police said he told her the home needed complete interior repainting and a new concrete patio. The defendant allegedly told the victim that he could repaint the entire home and took her to the bank multiple times for her to withdraw large sums of cash, they said.
“Older adults are too often singled out by scammers who take advantage of their kindness and attempt to financially exploit them,” Macomb County Prosecutor Peter Lucido said in a statement. “Our Stopping Crimes Against Macomb Seniors, SCAMS, initiative focuses on strengthening awareness among seniors, their loved ones, and caregivers so they can recognize common fraud tactics before harm is done. Education is a critical defense, and by spreading it widely, we can better protect seniors while ensuring offenders are pursued and held responsible.”
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This article originally appeared on The Detroit News: St. Clair Shores man accused of embezzlement facing additional charges
Reporting by Charles E. Ramirez, The Detroit News / The Detroit News
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