The probate court is supposed to be a place where vulnerable people such as the elderly, the mentally ill, and those incapacitated without family to fight for them, can expect protection.
But in Detroit, Judge Andrea Bradley-Baskin of the 36th District Court allegedly turned it into a marketplace for exploitation, teaming up with criminals to profit off the very people she was sworn to protect.
According to records revealed in an FBI public corruption and bribery probe, Bradley-Baskin was directly involved in the undervalued sale of homes belonging to incapacitated and elderly individuals. These properties were sold for far less than market value, and in some cases, flipped for jaw-dropping profits within weeks.
The Scam Inside Probate Court
Property records show that since 2020, at least five homes from estates in Metro Detroit tied to vulnerable individuals were pushed through by Bradley-Baskin. In several instances, the homes were sold to the boyfriend of a court-appointed guardian after the judge herself proposed the sale or even drafted the deeds.
One glaring example: a modest ranch in Dearborn Heights. Approved for sale at a steep discount, the home was flipped in less than a month for a 72% profit. That profit didn’t go to the original owners or their estates; it went straight into the pockets of those tied to the judge’s inner circle.
This was deliberate profiteering at the expense of people who could not fight back.
Conflicts of Interest
But wait… there’s more. Bradley-Baskin previously served as the resident agent of Sims Residential Holdings and as the corporate lawyer for Guardian & Associates before taking the bench. That law firm’s role? Helping guardians locate and seize assets belonging to their wards.
In other words: the same judge who once worked to help guardians identify vulnerable people’s property later sat on the bench overseeing the very sales of those properties. Guardians appointed by the court fed cases to her courtroom, and the assets of the incapacitated were transformed into private opportunities for profiteering.
This isn’t just a conflict of interest; it’s a system designed to enrich insiders while stripping vulnerable residents of Detroit of the little security they had left.
And it’s very reminiscent of a scheme that has occurred in Allegan County under Judge Roberts Kengis’ watch.
A Pattern of Exploitation
The FBI is investigating not only Bradley-Baskin but also at least four others tied to this scheme.
Together, they weaponized the probate system, meant to protect, to prey on those with no voice. Families who entrusted the court with their loved ones’ futures instead found themselves victims of predatory deals dressed up as legal procedure.
These revelations are part of a broader national trend: probate and guardianship systems becoming pipelines of abuse, where judges, lawyers, and “guardians” exploit their unchecked power for profit. The people most at risk, those with dementia, severe mental illness, or simply lacking strong family advocates, become the easiest prey.
Why This Matters
If true, Bradley-Baskin’s conduct is not just a violation of ethics; it is a betrayal of the very foundation of justice. Judges wield extraordinary power over people’s lives, especially in probate court. When that power is corrupted, entire communities lose trust in the courts.
These aren’t just “bad real estate deals.” This it outright theft from the vulnerable. It’s the quiet looting of families already stretched thin, the elderly stripped of dignity, and the disabled denied security.
Demanding Accountability
Detroit deserves better than judges who use their robe as a cloak for profiteering. The FBI probe should not be the end of the story; it should be the beginning of sweeping reforms. Guardianship and probate systems must be transparent, independently audited, and stripped of opportunities for insiders to profit.
For every house stolen under this scheme, there’s a family left grieving, confused, and betrayed. The question now is whether Michigan’s legal system will protect its people—or continue to protect its insiders.
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