LANSING, MI (WKZO AM/FM) – The Michigan Attorney General’s Office announced on Monday this week that a Decatur woman has been charged with embezzlement.
According to the report, 61-year-old Laurie Laskovy was arraigned in the 8th District Court in Kalamazoo County on one count of Embezzlement from a Vulnerable Adult of $100,000 or more. The charge itself, says the Attorney General’s Office, is a felony that carries a maximum punishment of 20 years in prison and a fine of $50,000, or triple the value of the amount embezzled, whichever is greater.
Beginning in 2012, Laskovy had served as co-guardian and sole conservator for a family member, who began residing in a residential care facility in 2014. In this court-appointed position, Laskovy held complete control of her ward’s finances, including a bank account, until her removal from the role of co-guardian and conservator in 2022.
It is alleged Laskovy began stealing funds in 2017, using the victim’s bank account to obtain cash and pay personal bills, totaling over $100,000.
“Integrity in court-appointed guardians and conservators is paramount to safeguarding the assets and well-being of our most vulnerable residents,” said Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel. “My department will hold accountable those who betray the trust of the court and vulnerable adults in our state.”
Laskovy was arraigned on Friday, July 28, and was given a $20,000 personal recognizance bond. She is due in court for a pre-exam conference on August 10 and a preliminary exam on August 17.
