Ex-Wayne County Circuit Court employee to stand trial for embezzlement
(CBS DETROIT) - A former Wayne County Circuit Court assistant accused of embezzling more than $60,000 is bound over for trial.
Steven Allen, 42, of Detroit, is charged with embezzlement between $50,000 to $100,000, using a computer to commit a crime, forgery of bank bills, and stealing or retaining without consent a financial transaction device.
He is scheduled to appear for an arraignment on Feb. 28 in the same courtroom where he was employed.
State officials say Allen, who worked as a judicial assistant for a judge in the Third Circuit Court from 2018 to 2022, allegedly obtained an ATM card illegally with the judge's account and made withdrawals and purchases, also forging checks.
The judge became aware of delinquent taxes on a secondary property and missing funds; however, Allen presented checks that made it look like they were sent to take care of the taxes.
"Everyone should exercise extreme caution in who you permit to access your financial accounts," Nessel said in a statement. "Even judges are not immune to theft, embezzlement and fraud perpetrated against them by those they trust the most. Truly anyone can fall victim to financial exploitation crimes."