Michigan Woman Accused Of Embezzling $460K From Nursing Home Residents

From www.mlive.com on 10/17/2014:

LAPEER, MI – The Lapeer County woman accused of embezzling more than $460,000 from residents at a Rochester Hills nursing home has been arraigned and is free on bond.

Tina Marie Binkley, 44, of Almont, was arraigned Thursday, Oct. 16, according to the Attorney General's Office. The charges include two counts of embezzlement from a vulnerable adult of $100,000 or more, with each charge punishable by up to 20 years in prison and a $50,000 fine or three times value of the money or property involved, whichever is greater.

Oakland County District Court Judge Julie Nicholson set Binkley's bond at $25,000 cash or surety, which she posted on Friday, Oct. 17, according to the Attorney General's Office.

Investigators allege money was taken from 136 residents from the Boulevard Health Center.

Authorities said Binkley was fired in April 2013 from her job as the facility's business manager after allegedly failing to follow standard financial reporting procedures.

The case was referred to the Attorney General's Office after an accountant hired by the facility noticed bookkeeping discrepancies. Binkley allegedly had access to a general account for facility income and day-to-day expense, as well as a trust fund.

Binkley was arrested Thursday, Oct. 16, by special agents from the Department of Attorney General after an investigation by the state Attorney General's Health Care Fraud Division.

Binkley is scheduled to be in court for a pre-exam conference on Tuesday, Oct. 21, at 10 a.m. and will be assigned a court-appointed attorney.


Update (3/2/2015): Binkley sentenced to prison:

A nursing home business manager who stole $460,000 from residents of the Oakland County facility has been sentenced to between two years, four months and 20 years in prison.

Forty-four-year-old Tina Binkley of Almont pleaded guilty Jan. 27 to one count of embezzlement from vulnerable adults.

Binkley told an Oakland County circuit judge at Monday's sentencing that she's "very sorry" for what she did and "is not the same person" who committed the crimes.

Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette has said that Binkley agreed to pay $460,000 in restitution to 136 victims. Schuette says that she stole the money between May 2010 and April 2013 as business office manager at Boulevard Health Center in Rochester Hills.