U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Timothy VerHey announced on May 7 that a grand jury has charged Michael Lee Brooks, 47, of Hastings, Michigan, with two counts of theft involving federal taxpayer funds.
The charges matter because they involve alleged misuse and theft from programs intended to provide financial support to individuals and families. According to the indictment issued on May 5, Brooks is accused of failing to notify the Social Security Administration about his father's death in September 2019 and continuing to collect his father’s Social Security retirement benefits through August 2025. The indictment alleges that Brooks submitted false annual representative payee accounting statements as part of this scheme, resulting in a total alleged theft of $99,055.
Brooks is also charged with stealing $4,218 from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program by making false statements and material omissions. If convicted on both counts, he faces up to ten years in prison per count.
VerHey said that "the charges in an indictment are merely accusations, and a defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty." The case is being investigated by the Social Security Administration Office of Inspector General and the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General.
On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division. "The core mission of the Fraud Division is to zealously investigate and prosecute those who steal or fraudulently misuse taxpayer dollars." Efforts like these support President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance.
The U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan prosecutes federal crimes and manages civil litigation for the United States while recovering government debts; it covers one of the largest federal law enforcement areas with about 1.6 million residents across offices in Grand Rapids, Marquette (staffed), Lansing and Kalamazoo (unstaffed), employs around 70 prosecutors and staff members, supports community health efforts such as heroin awareness campaigns, delivers victim support services for federal crimes cases—making it one among America's longest-standing law enforcement districts according to its official website.
