On Thursday, Kirk Lanam, 52, of Hartland, was arraigned before Magistrate Judge Marie Soma in the Oakland County 52-3 District Court in Rochester Hills on five felony charges for allegedly financially exploiting a vulnerable adult for the enrichment of himself and his non-profit organization, announced Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel. Lanam’s bond was set at $150,000 cash/surety.
It is alleged that Lanam fraudulently obtained from the 87-year-old victim legal power of attorney in March of 2024, knowing the man to be a vulnerable or incapacitated adult with a court-appointed guardian, and that he embezzled significant funds from the man. Lanam is accused of diverting more than $400,000 from the victim toward his own personal benefit and to the benefit of the purported non-profit he controlled, Veteran’s Service Dog Organization based in Howell.
"Exploiting unsuspecting victims or those who rely on others for support for personal gain is unacceptable," Nessel said. "My Department takes reports of elder abuse very seriously. We will thoroughly investigate allegations of wrongdoing against our vulnerable adult population and prosecute those who prey on them."
Kirk Lanam is charged with four counts of Embezzlement from a Vulnerable Adult, $100,000 or More, a 20-year felony, and one count of Fraudulently Obtaining a Signature, a 10-year felony. A pre-exam conference is set for February 3 and a preliminary examination is set for February 10.
It is alleged that Lanam fraudulently obtained from the 87-year-old victim legal power of attorney in March of 2024, knowing the man to be a vulnerable or incapacitated adult with a court-appointed guardian, and that he embezzled significant funds from the man. Lanam is accused of diverting more than $400,000 from the victim toward his own personal benefit and to the benefit of the purported non-profit he controlled, Veteran’s Service Dog Organization based in Howell.
"Exploiting unsuspecting victims or those who rely on others for support for personal gain is unacceptable," Nessel said. "My Department takes reports of elder abuse very seriously. We will thoroughly investigate allegations of wrongdoing against our vulnerable adult population and prosecute those who prey on them."
Kirk Lanam is charged with four counts of Embezzlement from a Vulnerable Adult, $100,000 or More, a 20-year felony, and one count of Fraudulently Obtaining a Signature, a 10-year felony. A pre-exam conference is set for February 3 and a preliminary examination is set for February 10.
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