Detroit Man Gets Probation After Scamming Black Church, Retiree

DETROIT — A 75-year-old Detroit man has been sentenced to three years of probation after he pleaded guilty to charges after prosecutors said he scammed a church and others to cover losses he suffered in a lottery scam, prosecutors announced on Thursday.

Lawrence Roberson pleaded guilty to one count of embezzlement by an agent between $50,000 and $100,000, Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel said. In addition to the three-year probation, Roberson must also pay $90,000 in restitution to his victims.

Nessel says that Roberson ran a company called Wealth Management LLC. As the financial advisor for both People’s Community Church and a retiree, Roberson recommended both clients invest in a specific bond, prosecutors said.

The victims provided funding for the investment to Roberson, but he never invested the funds, but instead, converted the money for his own use to recoup losses he had suffered in a lottery scam.

Roberson’s fraud cost the retired victim nearly half her retirement savings and took a significant portion of the resources of People’s Community Church, which is a historic congregation in the African American community.

Roberson, in turn, lost his financial advisor’s license and was forced to close his business.

“Mr. Roberson abused his authority as an advisor to steal from his clients and must be held accountable,” Nessel said. “When bad actors take advantage of their clients for personal gain, my Financial Crimes Division is prepared to prosecute egregious and illegal violations of their client’s trust.”