In a case that has sent shockwaves through the Michigan legal community, federal prosecutors have charged **Andrea Bradley-Baskin**, a judge on the **Detroit 36th District Court**, for her alleged involvement in a sophisticated conspiracy to defraud vulnerable citizens. The charges center on a scheme designed to siphon funds and assets from legally incapacitated individuals and minors—people who rely on the judicial system for financial protection. Alongside the judge, authorities have charged **Nancy Williams**, the owner of **Guardian and Associates**, and her fiancé, **Dwight Rashad**, a convicted felon. This criminal network allegedly exploited the guardianship system, which is specifically designed to protect the interests of those unable to care for themselves, turning it into a mechanism for personal enrichment. The financial details of the case are particularly striking. Investigators allege that **Andrea Bradley-Baskin** personally benefited from the illicit proceeds of the conspiracy. Specifically, prosecutors claim she used $54,250 of stolen funds to rent a luxury townhouse in **Detroit’s Brush Park** neighborhood, valued at approximately $900,000, located near **Little Caesars Arena**. Furthermore, more than $29,000 taken from victims was reportedly used to cover rent for a residence in **Westland**, where property records show the judge had been living as far back as 2019. These allegations suggest that the judge’s lifestyle was substantially subsidized by funds diverted from the very individuals the court system is sworn to protect. One of the most disturbing elements of the federal investigation involves the exploitation of **Frankie James**, a legally incapacitated woman under court-appointed care. According to the prosecution, **James’** home in **Detroit** was sold for the nominal sum of one dollar to a company owned by **Corey Baskin**, who is the husband of Judge **Andrea Bradley-Baskin**. The property was subsequently resold for a profit of $140,000. This transaction serves as a primary example of the alleged systematic abuse of power, where assets belonging to defenseless individuals were allegedly transferred to the judge’s family members for negligible costs before being flipped for significant market gains.
The investigation reveals a troubling web of family involvement that extends to the judge’s father, attorney **Avery Bradley**. He served as the court-appointed personal representative for the late **Ethel Ciotti**, a resident of **Lincoln Park**. Records indicate that **Avery Bradley** oversaw the sale of **Ciotti’s** home, and both he and his daughter are now the subjects of an ongoing **FBI** investigation. The involvement of multiple family members—a father acting as a representative, a daughter on the bench, and a husband profiting from property flips—suggests a coordinated effort to manipulate the guardianship and probate systems for private wealth. In response to these findings, federal authorities have begun the process of seizing assets linked to the alleged crimes. Liens have been filed against an office building in **Oak Park** and a residential property in **Southfield**, indicating that these locations may be forfeited to the government as proceeds of bribery and fraud. The **FBI** has also executed search warrants to obtain extensive records related to the care and finances of various incapacitated individuals and minors. These warrants include files from **Andrea Bradley-Baskin’s** previous legal work, as investigators attempt to trace the full extent of the financial footprint left by the alleged conspiracy across the **Detroit** metropolitan area. This case represents a profound breach of public trust. Guardianship courts are intended to be a sanctuary for the elderly and the mentally infirm, yet this investigation suggests they were used as a hunting ground for predatory officials. Perhaps most concerning is the timeline of events; **Andrea Bradley-Baskin** was elected to the bench in **November 2024** while the **FBI** investigation was already quietly underway. This highlights a systemic lack of transparency, as voters were denied the critical information necessary to evaluate her integrity. Ultimately, the case underscores the devastating reality that when those entrusted with the law allegedly break it, the damage to the justice system’s reputation is both deep and enduring.
