Judge ARRESTED — $273K STOLEN From Helpless Victims

A sitting Michigan judge and three accomplices exploited their positions of trust to embezzle over $273,000 from incapacitated adults who depended on the court system for protection, exposing a stunning betrayal that shakes the foundation of judicial integrity.

Story Snapshot

Federal indictment charges 36th District Court Judge Andrea Bradley-Baskin, her attorney father, and two associates with looting funds from vulnerable wards under court protection
Stolen money funded personal luxuries including a $70,000 bar ownership stake and Ford Expedition lease while victims languished in group homes
Guardian and Associates served as fiduciary for over 1,000 incapacitated adults, creating a closed network ripe for systematic abuse
Judge removed from docket following arraignment as U.S. Attorney condemns “grievous abuse of public trust” and exploitation of judicial authority

Family Operation Exploited Judicial Access

Judge Andrea Bradley-Baskin, 46, and her father attorney Avery Bradley, 72, allegedly operated Guardian and Associates as a family enterprise with unfettered access to probate court wards. Federal prosecutors allege the duo leveraged their legal positions to systematically drain accounts belonging to incapacitated adults who couldn’t defend themselves. Bradley-Baskin joined the 36th District Court as a judge in 2023 and won election in 2024, all while the alleged scheme continued. The father-daughter legal partnership created a power structure that prosecutors say enabled brazen theft from society’s most vulnerable citizens under the guise of court-appointed protection.

Luxury Purchases Funded by Defenseless Victims

Court documents reveal Bradley-Baskin allegedly used $70,000 in ward funds to purchase an ownership stake in a bar and lease a Ford Expedition for personal use. The conspiracy extended beyond these individual purchases. Prosecutors allege the group diverted $203,000 from a ward’s legal settlement, splitting the proceeds among themselves. Nancy Williams, 59, who owned Guardian and Associates and served as fiduciary for over 1,000 wards, allegedly paid fictitious rent to group home operator Dwight Rashad, 69, for residents who never actually lived in his facilities. This fabricated expense created another channel to siphon money meant for vulnerable adults’ care and well-being.

Systematic Scheme Spanned Multiple Entities

The alleged conspiracy integrated multiple institutions into a closed embezzlement network. Guardian and Associates held fiduciary appointments in over 1,000 Wayne County Probate Court cases, providing vast access to protected funds. Rashad operated group homes housing elderly and incapacitated wards, completing a circuit where funds flowed from court-protected victims through fake expenses and personal expenditures. Federal prosecutors charged all four defendants with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering. Bradley faces additional wire fraud counts, while Bradley-Baskin faces charges for making false statements to FBI investigators. The integrated operation allowed systematic theft while maintaining appearances of legitimate guardianship services.

Federal Response and Judicial Accountability

All four defendants faced arraignment in Detroit federal court following the unsealing of their indictment. Chief Judge William McConico immediately removed Bradley-Baskin from the court docket, a decision approved by the State Court Administrative Office to preserve public confidence in the judiciary. U.S. Attorney Jerome Gorgon emphasized the severity of the alleged crimes, stating the defendants committed “grievous abuse of public trust” by preying on individuals the court system exists to protect. The case follows troubling precedents in Michigan, including former State Supreme Court Justice Diane Hathaway’s guilty plea to bank fraud. While all defendants enjoy presumption of innocence, the charges expose dangerous vulnerabilities in guardianship oversight that leave incapacitated adults exposed to predators wearing black robes.

Erosion of Trust in Protective Systems

This case strikes at fundamental principles conservatives hold dear: respect for law, protection of the vulnerable, and accountability for those entrusted with authority. When judges exploit their positions to steal from defenseless citizens, they don’t just commit theft—they undermine the entire justice system Americans rely upon. The allegations reveal how unchecked government appointees with fiduciary power can become predators rather than protectors. Over 1,000 Wayne County wards were placed under Guardian and Associates’ control, yet oversight mechanisms failed to detect systematic looting until federal investigators intervened. For families who entrust incapacitated loved ones to probate court protection, this betrayal represents the worst nightmare: those sworn to safeguard became thieves in judicial robes.

Broader Implications for Guardianship Reform

The scheme signals urgent need for stronger safeguards in probate guardianship systems nationwide. Incapacitated adults represent uniquely vulnerable populations who cannot advocate for themselves or detect financial abuse. Federal scrutiny of Michigan’s Eastern District has uncovered multiple guardianship-related cases, including a conservancy CFO’s $40 million theft, suggesting systemic weaknesses rather than isolated incidents. Common-sense reforms should include mandatory independent audits of ward accounts, separation of judicial family members from fiduciary appointments, and criminal background checks for group home operators receiving court-referred residents. The Trump administration’s focus on rooting out government corruption and protecting American families should extend to probate systems where the powerless depend entirely on institutional integrity that clearly failed in Wayne County.