The Verdict: On January 30, 2026, a federal grand jury formally indicted Detroit Judge Andrea Bradley-Baskin on charges including conspiracy to commit wire fraud, money laundering, and false statements to federal investigators. The indictment moves the case from investigation to prosecution and places a sitting judge under direct federal scrutiny for alleged exploitation of vulnerable adults under court-appointed guardianship. While the charges remain unproven, the filing itself represents a decisive escalation and a rare moment of accountability aimed squarely at the guardianship system and the judicial authority entrusted to oversee it.
In September 2025, Clutch Justice reported that Judge Andrea Bradley-Baskin was under active FBI investigation related to alleged exploitation within Detroit’s guardianship and probate ecosystem.
That investigation has now moved into its next phase.
On January 30, 2026, a federal grand jury returned an indictment formally charging Bradley-Baskin and three others with orchestrating a scheme to divert hundreds of thousands of dollars from incapacitated adults the court system was supposed to protect.
This is no longer an inquiry.
It is now a federal criminal case.
The Federal Indictment
According to the indictment filed in the Eastern District of Michigan, prosecutors allege that Bradley-Baskin conspired with:
- Avery Bradley, an attorney and her father
- Nancy Williams, a professional guardian
- Dwight Rashad, an operator of residential facilities
to systematically misappropriate funds belonging to court-appointed wards.
All four defendants are charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud. The indictment further alleges:
- Wire fraud
- Multiple counts of money laundering
- False statements made to federal investigators
The charges reflect alleged conduct spanning multiple wards and multiple financial transactions, not a single isolated incident.
With Lynn Helland’s exit imminent, there is no word on whether this is also on the Judicial Tenure Commission’s radar.
Alleged Conduct
Federal prosecutors describe a pattern in which funds legally designated for the care, housing, and medical needs of incapacitated adults were instead redirected for personal benefit.
Allegations outlined in the charging documents include:
- The use of approximately $70,000 in ward funds to acquire an ownership interest in a bar
- The diversion of roughly $203,000 from a legal settlement that was never used for the benefit of the ward
- Payments for housing that wards allegedly never occupied
- The use of ward estate funds to cover a multi-year SUV lease
Guardians and conservators are fiduciaries. Judges overseeing these matters are gatekeepers. The indictment alleges that those roles were exploited, not enforced.
Institutional Response
Following the indictment:
- Bradley-Baskin was administratively removed from her judicial docket
- Federal agencies involved include the FBI and IRS Criminal Investigation Division
- Separate disciplinary authority remains with Michigan’s judicial oversight bodies, independent of the criminal case
The criminal proceedings will now determine whether the alleged conduct can be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
Why This Case Matters
This case is not only about one judge.
It is about what happens when systems designed to protect the powerless operate without meaningful oversight.
Guardianship courts handle some of the most vulnerable people in the legal system. Many wards cannot speak for themselves. Many families lack the resources to challenge misconduct even when they suspect something is wrong.
When abuse occurs inside these systems, it is often quiet, procedural, and devastating.
If the allegations are proven, this case represents:
- A breakdown of fiduciary safeguards
- A failure of internal court oversight
- A warning about how easily authority can be misused when transparency is absent
Public trust in the judiciary does not erode through dramatic scandals alone. It erodes when exploitation is normalized behind closed doors.
Clutch Justice Perspective
Clutch Justice first reported on this matter when it was still framed as an investigation. The federal indictment now confirms that concerns raised about guardianship abuse in Detroit were not speculative.
This case underscores why guardianship systems demand external oversight, routine audits, and real accountability mechanisms that do not rely on insiders policing themselves.
Courts are meant to be a last line of defense.
When they fail, the harm is not abstract.
It lands on people who already have the least protection.
Article FAQs:
Federal prosecutors allege conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, money laundering, and false statements to federal investigators.
Adults under court-appointed guardianship, legally deemed unable to manage their own financial affairs.
No. This is a federal indictment. All defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Sources
- U.S. Department of Justice, Eastern District of Michigan
- Federal grand jury indictment filings
- Prior Clutch Justice reporting on FBI probe into Detroit probate practices
