On Friday, January 30, 2026, the Detroit Free Press reported that 36th District Judge Andrea Bradley-Baskin and three other individuals have been charged by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Michigan in connection with a long-term embezzlement scheme. The scheme allegedly involved stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars from vulnerable individuals, known as wards, who rely on guardians and conservators to manage their financial affairs.
The other individuals implicated in the scheme include Nancy Williams, 59, who owns Guardian and Associates, a fiduciary company frequently utilized by the Wayne County Probate Court to appoint guardians and conservators in over 1,000 cases; Avery Bradley, 72, an attorney who, along with his daughter Andrea Bradley-Baskin, operated a law firm that represented Guardian and Associates in probate court; and Dwight Rashad, 69, who operated group homes and facilities for elderly and vulnerable people.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Detroit alleges that the four individuals conspired to embezzle funds from vulnerable people and their estates, appropriating the money for their own personal gain.
Specific examples of the alleged embezzlement include Bradley-Baskin purportedly stealing $70,000 from a ward to acquire an ownership stake in a local bar. She is also accused of using funds from a ward’s estate to cover a two-year lease on a new Ford Expedition for her personal use.
In addition, Bradley, Williams, and Rashad are accused of stealing $203,000 from a ward’s legal settlement. Williams is also alleged to have paid Rashad rent for wards who did not reside in Rashad’s homes.
All four individuals face charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Bradley is additionally charged with wire fraud. Bradley, Bradley-Baskin, and Rashad are also charged with multiple counts of money laundering. Furthermore, Bradley-Baskin is charged with making a false statement to federal law enforcement.
All four individuals appeared in federal court on January 30 for their arraignments and entered pleas of not guilty. They were all released on a $10,000 unsecured bond, meaning they are not required to pay the government up front.
Jennifer Runyan, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Detroit, stated that “Regardless of a person’s position in society, no one is above the law. These four defendants allegedly conspired to steal from some of our most vulnerable citizens — looting bank accounts, exploiting legal authority, and profiting off those who relied on them for care and protection.” She added, “Let me be clear: if you prey on the vulnerable, we will find you and bring you to justice.”
Judge Andrea Bradley-Baskin is currently suspended from her position as a 36th District Judge, according to court records.
Source: Detroit Free Press
