A Clare County man accused of embezzling more than $400,000 from a senior citizen has been charged, officials said.
Phillip Lee Sprague, 62, was arraigned on Tuesday in 80th District Court in Harrison, Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel’s office said.
The Farwell resident is charged with a count of embezzlement of $100,000 or more by an agent, and two counts of embezzlement of $50,000 or more but less than $100,000 by an agent, according to authorities.
A magistrate set Sprague’s bond at $50,000 and scheduled his next court hearing for March 31, according to court records.
If convicted, he faces up to 20 years in prison for embezzlement of $100,000 and up to 15 years for each count of embezzlement of $50,000-$100,000.
Reached Thursday, Sprague’s attorney, Scott D. Moore, said he had no comment on the charges against his client at this time.
Authorities allege Sprague embezzled from an 82-year-old victim who suffered a traumatic brain injury.
More than $300,000 of the amount was obtained through changes the victim made to his will to benefit Sprague instead of the victim’s children and grandchildren, according to investigators.
“While the majority of caregivers support adults in their care, my office will not tolerate those who steal from the very people they are meant to protect from such exploitation,” Nessel said in a statement. “We remain committed to seeking justice for vulnerable victims and their families.”
The charges were announced the same week a former Huron County funeral director pleaded no contest to 39 felony counts related to a years-long embezzlement scheme.
On Tuesday, a judge heard testimony about a former Michigan legislative aide accused of embezzlement and criminal enterprise during his preliminary examination hearing. The hearing is scheduled to continue on April 8.
Last week, a former treasurer of the Michigan Democratic Party accused of embezzling $123,000 from a mentally incapacitated woman was bound over for trial in Kent County.
cramirez@detroitnews.com
@CharlesERamirez
This article originally appeared on The Detroit News: Clare Co. man accused of embezzling $400K from senior charged
Reporting by Charles E. Ramirez, The Detroit News / The Detroit News
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