Shannon Pitcher: Esquire, or Diss De Bar of Our Day?
[CR Note: Crime Rant loves Laura James, the historic true crime blogger extraordinaire, who offers up old crimes with wit and charm on her site, Clews. In her second Laura James Fortnightly for Crime Rant, Laura talks about Jaguars, money and the notoriously evil female murderer.]
Guest blog by CR Contributor Laura James
It’s hard to find a good lawyer to handle the financial affairs of the elderly. Clients who need guardians often have severe illnesses and no money. Court-appointed work pays poorly. Nonetheless, Michigan attorney Shannon Pitcher somehow managed to make a six-figure living and drive a Jaguar on $60 court appointments.
But she’s been arrested, and a recent search of her home led to hundreds of checkbooks belonging to her clients—found in a mound atop her desk—nearly $100,000 in cash buried in the yard of friends, and the remains of a man who died decades ago in her basement. The 35-year-old attorney is thought to have taken half a million dollars from people.
Pitcher’s excuse for dipping into her clients’ funds has bumped her story from the back to the front page. She did it, she says, because she was being blackmailed by a man who was threatening to go public with a “sex tape.” The police are scoffing at her defense, while admitting they seized a tape from Shannon Pitcher’s home. Pitcher is profiled this week in “Fallen: The downward spiral of lawyer Shannon H. Pitcher,” by the Flint Journal.
All of this naughtiness and alleged criminal behavior brings to mind history’s many examples of infamous and highly successful female grifters. Chicago May, Dolly Gee, Sophie Beck, Cassie Chadwick. The list goes on.
Crime Rant readers may be familiar with Gregg Olsen’s Dr. Linda Hazzard, who was among the more notorious female swindlers of her day.
But in the nineteenth century, no woman in the world combined sex and swindling like Madame Diss De Bar, as she occasionally called herself. Her real name might have been Edith Salomen, but who can say? In every city it was remarked, as in the Atlanta Constitution, that “nobody knew from whence she came and nobody knew whither she departed when she did depart. But while she was here the people saw and heard a great deal of her.” In cities throughout North America, from London to Cape Town, the world-renowned Madame of Many Names popped up like a bad strain of flu, corrupting the morals and wallets of many to be found there.
The headlines date back to at least 1879, when the principal city of Georgia was in the midst of a religious revival, and “a magnificent looking woman of the brunette type of beauty,” who called herself “Princess Editha” and claimed to be the illegitimate daughter of King Ludwig of Bavaria, expressed her brilliant mind in lectures about spiritualism and the dangers of Catholicism. She made demonstrations of her gift of prophecy, predicting on many occasions that she was soon to come into a fortune, which was generally the case, though the purpose of sharing this news was to beat her bills, and she eventually disappeared from Atlanta altogether.
She next appeared in Parkersburg, West Virginia, and Cincinnati, then Geneva, Illinois, and New York. In New Orleans, as “Editha Loleta Jackson,” she was expelled by authorities in 1899 after being accused of “procuring young girls ostensibly for her fantastic religion but really for the purpose of their ruin.” The Madame next made an appearance in London with a new husband, where she opened the “New Era” sect in Kent and reportedly made off with 400 pounds.
The hard-hearted skeptics of Scotland Yard exposed her “religion” for what it truly was to spectacular tabloid effect. Haled to the Old Bailey, the “Swamie, Princess of Theocratic Unity” or “Laura Jackson” (perhaps her true name) and her husband Theodore (perhaps his) were made to answer to charges of fraud and immoral practices. The former involved wealthy older clients, while the latter involved young and beautiful women, and it seems that the Swamie acted as procuress. The newspapers were rabid with the case, though they couldn’t quite bring themselves to describe these corrupting practices carried on by both defendants acting in concert, though the judge provided hints in labeling them “revolting,” “abominable,” “filthy acts” and “unspeakable offenses” performed “under the cloak of religion.” When one reads between the lines one might be reminded of a scene from Candy; those who don’t know the reference will have to use their imaginations. The jury found them guilty in fewer than five minutes and they both served prison terms.
South Africa was her next home, where she dubbed herself “Helena Horos” of the “College of Occult Sciences,” and converted young ladies into hands-on healers for the wealthy clients of the institute.
After a customarily brief stay, she opened a “fruitarian colony” in Florida, performing occult cures, séances, and the like. Then she made a whirlwind tour of Windsor and Detroit in 1907, where she was known as “Mother Elinor, Queen of the Flying Rollers.” She was also known as the possessor of certain items of jewelry that did not belong to her.
Similar stories were heard from Montreal, Quebec, Paris, and many cities in between, but the common refrain grows wearisome in repetition. Suffice it to say that she passed to the other side during World War I—and, hopefully, remains firmly installed there.
January 1st, 2007 at 8:46 pm
Shannon Pitcher – what a nut job! thanks for a wonderful post Laura, I really enjoy reading CLEWS!
January 2nd, 2007 at 4:44 pm
Just wanted to add or clarify a few details about Madame Diss Debar from some research of my own.
She was born in Kentucky, the daughter of a Louisville, Kentucky music publisher either in 1848 or 1851. Her correct name was Della Ann O’Sullivan. She took the name Diss Debar from a famous West Virginia statesman named Joseph Diss Debar, originally from France, who was the designer of the state coat of arms. She had a relationship of some kind with him, many witnesses said she spent a lot of time at the Diss Debar household. As you mentioned, she had several other aliases, including Swami Anne Horos, and she was a fortune teller, “read the cards” and made Spiritualist drawings. Quite a colorful character, there is at least one book out there about her.
January 3rd, 2007 at 7:20 am
You know, you just don’t see these cases anymore. Great job fleshing this out, Laura. Diss De Bar, if working her evil magic today, would be on Nancy Grace’s radar quicker than you can say Duckett!
January 3rd, 2007 at 12:41 pm
Boy, I hadn’t read about her before, I think we may be related. As in, she could easily pass for one of my relatives unfortunately. Interesting blog, can’t wait for the next one!
January 4th, 2007 at 4:43 am
Matt~
I agree you don’t see these cases anymore because of the way grifting women and men snare their prey these days. EXAMPLE: Guy gets picked up by a woman in a hotel bar wakes up the next day in a daze with NO WALLET, NO CREDIT CARDS, NO WATCH, and NO CLOTHES.
I know a guy that this happened to not long ago.
He can either file a police report and open Pandora’s box with family and friends or take his medicine. Usually the medicine goes down easier.
This exact crime happens every day and fewer than 25% get reported.
Mark~
January 4th, 2007 at 4:56 am
Good God~~~~~
I just read a news account on this Shannon Pitcher thing~ NO FREAKING WONDER the people got swindled, especially the 90 year old. Where the fuck was the guys family in all of this~~~~~~~~~~~~oh I know. Going on with their pathetic lives while their father sat in a Nursing home. Stupid bastards. They deserve to have this happen from plain old fashioned IGNORANCE and lack of caring for their father.
They didn’t know his bill wasn’t being pain until they received an eviction notice from the nursing home. That means they never went to visit. VERY VERY SORE SUBJECT to get me started on. People who turn their backs on parents in nursing homes make me so mad I could do something stupid. Only a few creatures crawl on their bellies in lower places than where these ass-holes dwell~ God how HEARTLESS!
JMHO~~~~~
Mark
January 4th, 2007 at 9:24 am
My mother-in-law (97 yrs) is in a nursing home. I go there every day…they don’t make a move without going through me. I watch her money like a hawk. But the see the people who are forgotten and it breaks my heart big time.
January 4th, 2007 at 10:49 am
I found this site and found it interesting…
http://www.blavatskyarchives.com/coues.htm
It’s an article from the NY SUN in 1890, about a woman named Blavatsky. He mentions Diss Debar, and says that she followed in Blavatsky’s footsteps. I love this paragraph:
“The ingredients of a successful charlatan are no conscience, some brains, much courage, great industry, the corrosive sublimate of selfishness, vainglorious ambition, vivid imagination, good address, ready resources, monumental mendacity, and a pious, living faith in the love of mankind for being humbugged.”
Man, people could write back then!
January 4th, 2007 at 11:52 am
kim- couldn’t they though. that is wonderful thanks for sharing.
January 4th, 2007 at 12:11 pm
Kimpossible, Thanks also for that link. I have had the opportunity and inclination to study many of the world’s spiritual disciplines during the past 15 years, and Theosophy is one I have read quite a bit about. Madame Blavatsky was from an aristocratic Russian family and was one of the foremost proponents of Theosophy around the world.
The thing is, back in Victorian times, if a woman was not considered to be a pious Christian, she was vilified in the press. The biggest difference between Diss Debar and Blavatsky is that Madame Blavatsky was not a criminal, did not serve time in jail, a bohemian possibly, but nowadays being a bohemian free spirit artist is not a bad thing like it was then.
January 4th, 2007 at 12:28 pm
Here, here, Naturalangel…you are so right about artists today as opposed to back then.
January 4th, 2007 at 12:33 pm
Thank you, Pati, I’m always grateful to be a woman artist in this day and age. Back then if a woman “shamed” herself in any way, she was kicked to the curb.
January 4th, 2007 at 1:08 pm
You are so right. Of course I am still classified by some of my dearest friends as a hippie artist…it doesn’t have the negative reaction.
January 4th, 2007 at 1:26 pm
Thanks Naturalangel, I was trying to find out more about here because the website said the SUN had to retract the article, or apologize anyway. Would love to hear more about your studies, very very interesting.
January 4th, 2007 at 2:19 pm
Kimpossible: This site has some information about Blatsky and Theosophy.
http://www.blavatsky.net/
Pati has my email address, maybe she can pass it on to you and if you are interested in having a dialogue about the things I have studied, please email me with your email address and I will be glad to contact you.
January 4th, 2007 at 8:01 pm
Kimpossible,
My email is plastered all over crimerant, but here it is again. pati@semander.com
January 11th, 2007 at 6:50 pm
Mark you are exactly right, I am a former employee of Ms. Pitcher, the family acts as if they are the ones that were hurt, But honestly the people recieved great care from Ms. Pitcher. Never did anyone go with out Health care. Although I am not completley clear on the alligations against Ms. Pitcher I can say that everyone was treated with respect and dignity from her office, except this whole embezzlement thing.
January 21st, 2007 at 9:20 am
I’m a former client of Shannon Pitcher’s. Respect and dignity, my aunt Sadie. She failed to file final accounting documents per the county probate court’s orders and got ME in big trouble. (Have any of you been screamed at by a judge who then froze all your assets?) I fired her and filed a complaint with the Michigan Attorney Grievance Commission. She lied to them. Blamed me for refusing to sign papers that would have brought me $32,000. (The Commission is a joke.) Two times she billed me for services already performed, the second time after it was pointed out to her that she was doing so. (How many other clients weren’t paying attention and paid her twice?) I still don’t have my case file, after several requests to YOU, Matt Chambers. Every time I came in person to get it, it couldn’t be found, the copy machine wasn’t working, Miss Pitcher was out of her office, etc etc … You ran the office. You are in this as deep as she is. Maybe we’ll see YOU in court.
January 21st, 2007 at 10:22 am
This Mark person up the board has proved himself to be thoroughly clueless. He doesn’t know the facts of each case. I don’t either, but I do know that a lot of people in nursing homes have no local family. Their families had to leave the state to find jobs. I delivered their mail. The mail carrier was their only human contact with the outside, and the mail was often their only contact with their displaced families. If they were lucky, once a year at Christmastime there would be a visit from the families who had to leave Michigan to survive. This Mark person seems to be on the same page re a lot of things with Shannon Pitcher’s former office manager down the board. (It figures.) Who wouldn’t have found this forum unless he Google searched her name, and his doing that tells me he feels implicated in this mess. The truth will come out. I will give his name to the prosecuting attorney when I tell him what I know. And I’ve known Dave Leyton for over 30 years. So I won’t exactly be an unknown quantity in off the street.
March 21st, 2007 at 6:30 pm
Drew,
we have the same sort of problem with the Michigan AGC right now. An atty is fleecing her clients left and right, been admonished several times etc. email me shecky 826 at yahoo
April 29th, 2007 at 9:59 pm
All darkness is eventually brought to light! I met Ms. Pitcher through a probate case and found her to be very a very uncaring, disorganized LIAR. You never make your way through life without paying for the wrong you’ve done. I pray that the Genessee County court system (or whomever has jurisdiction) throws the book at her to make sure she gets just what she deserves for all of the lives she has ruined!!
June 9th, 2007 at 7:14 am
Subject: Arnold Rothstein.
I understand that a rare Rothstein book exists which was written by his first wife; Carolyn Rothstein.
Do you have any information on this particular book?
June 22nd, 2007 at 10:05 pm
Judge Allen Nelson, past retired Probate Court Judge in Flint court appointed Shannon Pitcher as Conservator for my folks. I complained to Judge Nelson of Ms. Pitcher bouncing $17,000. worth of checks out of my parent’s accounts, getting their insurances (including life insurance) cancelled due to failure to pay premiumns and that she was embezzling monies. He protected her and failed to take any action. My father laid dying in the hospital here in WI on one floor and my mother ill on another floor and I discovered that due to gross negligence Ms. Pitcher got their pension checks and Blue Cross Blue Shield suspended for 6 months. Don’t say Matt Chambers that no one under Ms. Pitcher went without health care. When my dad laid dying in a Wisconsin hospital we learned through hospital personnel that he had no coverage due to Ms. Pitcher’s gross negligence.
In 2004, I filed a grievance with the Attorney Grievance Board in Michigan. Ms. Pitcher lied to them and falsified documents. I find it interesting that the Grievance Board too protected Ms. Pitcher, besides Judge Allen Nelson. You are in good company Matt Chambers.
As for you Matt Chambers….assistant to Shannon Pitcher….get real and honest or you probably will be facing exactly what Ms. Pitcher is facing. Your paychecks from her probably came from the vulnerable adults who she stold from.
She was a deliberate thief, liar and knew exactly what she was doing. You and the female clerk covered for her and told as many lies as she did from that front office in Flint. Judge Barkey accused her of making up countless excuses, blaming others and lying…..I would venture to say Matt Chambers that you may be an accessory to all that dishonesty, so if I were you I would definitely examine my role with Shannon Pitcher very closely. “Are you in denial or what?” You are delusional Matt Chambers if you think the families and wards received “great care” from Ms. Pitcher. You have been conned also by Ms. Pitcher.
September 5th, 2007 at 9:16 pm
Our parents were taken from us in mid-2003 after Catherine Dritska visited our home and Doris Klukowski was in a nursing home Walter her husband with Al.(dementia) living with us as the Guardian Ad Libitum said over the phone…”this was a difficult decision and Walter my husbands father was removed from our home…a nice home with many activities. Soon, with no warning…Shannon Pitcher was court appt. atty for my husband parents. Everything was well… everything went wrong after C. Dritskas visited Crestmont Nursing Care Center in Fenton, MI and she made the decision to remove Walter and then quickly integrate Shannon Pitcher as Conservator of Estate of not to much wealth. My husband Gary Klukowski and myself had tried in vain to maintain status quo paying debts accum. by parents keeping up to date material. Not before long after Shannon Pitcher gained control and we were virtually ostracized in Judge Moore’s Probate Ct. the Milford home of parents was to be sold in order to pay for their assisted living expenses. The Milford home was to be sold to a friend of Shannon Pitcher at 85,000.00 and we said…”hello…we are here and we have good credit… I wrote Judge Moore stating that the family would buy said house. Needless to day, parents had not done much repair work so we took a home equity loan out in order to rent this house out.
I have met Shannon Pitcher, and her associate Karen Trewskamani(sp) knowing, inquiring their ineffectual transactional court approved status.
Our parents now live in a Group Home and the only thing that they ever cared about was “paying the Church” so nothing gained.
Nothing is ventured here either excepting Gary had placed most of their belongings in a Storage Unit what little bit that they had and soon after Power Of Atty. was nulled we had Social Workers Jamie, Gloria, from Crestmont Nursing Center in Fenton literally run to our door to get the Key to the storage unit.
Predation of the elderly, and Judge Moore stating to me, ” Well are you going to be there when Walter(Klukowski) isn’t able to feed himself.
A saga starting with Catherine Dritskas Guardian Adleim for the Court and she new the situation but after she went to the nursing home, “Crestmont” and she met Jamie the social worker she changed her tune. Why? What money was maybe placed in such crooked ways to remove Walter from our home?
There isn’t a day that goes by that we don’t realize the corruption within the Probate Court of Oakland County.
Walter should never have been removed from our home and Doris maybe rehabilitated enough to come home to our beautiful home but this was all cut short with C. Dristka’s report, Doris, and the promise that S. Pitcher would do better for them.
Better for them has now substantiated them into debt and they reside in Group home after Group Home.
Local County Courts need not be so harsh with family members in the future and remove elderly kin into programs places run by people listed unfamiliar with family.
Oakland County needs more attention relegated to family members concerned about their family without judgement of some person such as Guardian Ad Litem(sp)
There are places to place elderly patients but the family if with God willing can ALWAYs do better and shame on Judge Moore for be so harsh with our care of Walter. Shame on the Court for taking complete little bit of assets that the family had. Money…family nothing?
Shannon Pitcher could have gained more than she did with my husband’s family. If it wasn’t for connections writings we never as husband and wife ever have been able to buy our parents home for what some Afro-American man would have. There was much renovation to this home and we have documented expenses but no expense would have been as the allocated asset gain on the sale of Shannon Pitcher to her friend.
It should be noted here that I sent my mother-in-law Doris Internet articles about S. Pitcher. My own atty. who has gov. office in my local town expressed to me repeatedly that S. Pitcher was crooked. Repeatedly, I sent article…to Doris my mother in law and she stated to us…”Well I like her.”
What a fiasco of nothing for family. Never were the Klukowskis anything doing nothing to maintain their residence, voting against local mill ages, sending b’day card to grandchildren with nothing, exceptionally frugal but maintaining church acceptance with donations of 350.00 plus to new church members.
It’s minimally sad stated for a grandchild to receive a pad of paper for Christmas from said grandchildren but it’s more difficult to wonder about Probate Court doing such a “number” changing things separating family, relegating help…
How disgusting, sadly to say at the voice of Judge Moore to interrupt family intervention in a natural way only to give all power to Shannon Pitcher.
I am ashamed at ou local Oakland County Ct. system as my dear, wonderful family has been ruined by predator atty.s social workers within your ct.
Your Probate Ct. hands greased by Shannon Pitcher in Judge Moore’s Ct…ruined our fragile family…It was ruined…We did our greatest. We were responsible with health care workers, and after C. Dritskas visited Crestmont Nursing Care Center in Fenton, Mi she changed her decision. Why? Why did she change her decision to remove my husband’s father from our home after 14 mos. of living at our home? Why?
I am an educated woman and I was treated poorly in Judge Moore’s Ct. like I was internet caregiver to him.
We do not condone present judgements from Probate Ct. Family’s should have more options and this was denied to us being treated as we were even with atty. represent.
What is there to expect by family? A family member or members with nothing seeking medical, social, family assistance after court appointed lawyers and assist. livings get their money.
What hypocrisy’s for the family if the family is willing and able to do so..What an awful bunch of gov. corrupted(S. Pitcher_ weight that kin of family members carries.
Shame on on Oakland County Probate Court.
Kathryn Fleming M.A. wife of Gary Klukowski
September 6th, 2007 at 10:30 am
Three counts of embezzlement have been dismissed in exchange for a guilty plea to one. (In other words, she got away with those.) Her arraignment date is September 10. Go to http://www.mlive.com, the Flint Journal, and search Shannon Pitcher. Guess what else? She’s pregnant and due any day! (Yep. If I had just been arrested and charged with four counts of embezzlement, the first thing I’d do is go get pregnant. As the Journal stories indicate, she’s a very intelligent woman.)
September 7th, 2007 at 4:39 pm
In fact … now that I have a computer at home and am not limited to 30 mins per day at the library … Matt Chambers should consider himself fortunate that there won’t be a trial. If there had been, he would have likely found himself on the answering end of some very tough questions. Who knows what else would have come out in court, like the nature of the mystery videotape?
September 8th, 2007 at 1:21 pm
Wow you got the better of me with that post. Move on. do not let this define your life. Rambling legal jargon on the internet does not make you better than anyone, of course you could have stayed at a holiday inn xpress last week.
September 11th, 2007 at 8:23 am
The latest:
http://www.mlive.com/news/flintjournal/index.ssf?/base/news-46/1189520463206770.xml&coll=5
October 7th, 2007 at 10:55 pm
Sentencing for Shannon Pitcher on felony charges Nov. 5th substantiates a deja vu rendered and I remember being across a table from Shannon in a “closing office,” with my future 81 yr. mother in-law Doris that said to Shannon…”thank you for the pencils…which were pens, Walter can use them.” Shannon Pitcher is as smart as a fish without water as far as I am concerned. She allegedly can’t account for my in-law parents monies. All of this hype about her being so intelligent is unfounded…try writing notes on manuscript paper and making a melody. There is activity in Oakland County Court through Public Administrator Jon Munger regarding mal-practice and we hope our parents gain some money to live on. When I think back at how amazingly fast the Oakland Court in 2003 appointed Shannon as Conservator to the Klukowski estate(which was poor) without family members knowing of it it is scary. Immediately there was appointed conservator in Flint, Mi. Annual documentations from said conservator were always late in Oakland County C. Ct. defined penalties with assets warranting.
It’s sad to know individual family havoc dysfunctional resting of fragile relationships centered with elderly parents as ours were. D. Klukowski believed in Shannon Pitcher to handle her/husbands finances etc. and she believed that she would pay her tithe to her church monthly which was paramount to her and husband, unhappening. Shannon laxed payments on every aspect financially exceeding herself unavailable until our parents were removed from placed retirement home in Novi. More than financial “Shannon/and crew” ruined intact fragile family relationships such as in ours as we were close to our parents before she gained control said.
Family members who administer love and attention to elderly parents such as what we did in their sickness/problemos shouldn’t be demeaned treated as predators when a predator lurking disnuclear non membered may be implemented court ordered as Ms. Pitcher was.
Blessings are family, not non-familial as how can some alien educated atty. enter family’s life without motive of unconditional love. There has to be motive…money.
There are educated family members sometimes as family may not be dumb…hello!!
It is now separtion non coercive as my husband’s family has always eked monies, payed the church, been frugal but now separated as S. Pitcher hasn’t accounted where monies were allocated per se.
We admonish predation of elderly victims since we were victimized. Most elderly parents such as my husbands being in mid 80’s clearly don’t think clearly daily basised. A nice atty. gives hopeful attention for gullibly minded in elderly matters and reliance of such matters should be stanced more scrutinized by the court system not thinking “well they live in Milford,”probably have money and what is to be gained by unknowing peoples of the system…not family.
We hope that there are never anymore conservators similar such as S. Pitcher in any court etc.
November 9th, 2007 at 5:54 pm
When will Pitcher be sentenced? If this has already occurred, did she get the maximum of 10 years? She deserves the maximum for all of the lives she has negatively effected. I pray that everyone she has swindled money from files a report to the Genessee County Court system!
November 21st, 2007 at 1:34 pm
Sentenced yesterday. 23 months to 10 years. Her attorney apparently bought her two weeks. I just wish I had been there to see all this go down in person. At the link:
http://www.mlive.com/news/flintjournal/index.ssf?/base/news-47/1195660330308910.xml&coll=5
December 3rd, 2007 at 5:02 pm
Here she is:
http://www.state.mi.us/mdoc/asp/otis2profile.asp?mdocNumber=662283
January 17th, 2008 at 12:30 am
All the attention is on Shannon Pitcher….there is an attorney in Flint MI, Martin Tyckoski, who is far more dangerous and shrewd than Ms. Pitcher. He is directly responsible for the abuse and neglect of wards under his care. He continues to have vulnerable elderly and disabled adults placed in his hands. He, as well as, Shannon Pitcher were protected by the now retired Judge Allen Nelson, who should have been held accountable for ignoring the pleas of family members and turn a blind eye to evidence instead.
January 27th, 2008 at 9:11 am
The latest:
http://www.mlive.com/news/index.ssf/2008/01/imprisoned_lawyer_faces_up_to.html
Warning: don’t read this if you have just eaten. You will want to throw up.
It case anyone else who was ripped off by this woman is reading this:
In Michigan anyone can print a Crime Victim Notification Request Form from the Department Of Corrections web site — http://www.michigan.gov/corrections — and submit it whether or not they’re a former client of this woman. The sender will be notified of the date of her parole hearing, and if she becomes eligible for early release.
I encourage all of you to do so and write to the parole board when she becomes eligible in October 2009, and explain why you think she should serve her full sentence regardless of how much sentimental rubbish about her is printed in the newspapers.
Don’t get me wrong. I’m forgiving. I’m all for giving her exactly what she deserves.
February 6th, 2008 at 11:07 am
It’s not over yet.
From Monday’s Flint Journal:
LAPEER COUNTY – Shannon Pitcher lost her right to practice law when she pleaded guilty to embezzlement, but the Flint lawyer might not have seen the last of the courtroom.
A Michigan state police detective says he will turn over another case involving Pitcher and missing funds to the Lapeer County prosecutor’s office, which could file additional criminal charges.
“There’s been an allegation made that money is missing,” said Detective Sgt. Mark Reaves of the Lapeer post.
Reaves said he interviewed Pitcher at the Robert Scott Correctional Facility in Plymouth Township, where she is serving 23 months to 10 years in prison after pleading guilty in November to one count of embezzlement of a vulnerable adult, a 10-year felony.
The detective said he is working with the Genesee County prosecutor’s office to determine how much money remains in bank accounts that had been controlled by Pitcher.
“The question is, if you take $10 from 10 clients and only $25 is left, who gets what?” Reaves said.
Genesee County Prosecutor David Leyton said his office has issued subpoenas to banks in an effort to make sure investigators have found all of Pitcher’s assets.
Shortly before her sentencing, authorities discovered $143,948 in frozen bank accounts in Oakland County. Police have recovered nearly $100,000 buried in the yards of two of Pitcher’s friends.
Officials claimed Pitcher stole $288,137 from 27 victims who probate court judges had determined were incapable of managing their own finances.
“We are still trying to identify all the accounts she might have had control of,” Leyton said. “It’s a tedious process.”
Pitcher said in an interview from prison last month that she is eager to serve her sentence and move on with her life.
She has admitted to some instances of embezzlement, but not all of those that authorities alleged, and said she took money while being blackmailed by her husband.
Her attorney, David Grant of Flint, said Thursday that he believes funds missing from Lapeer County clients could still be in frozen trust accounts. He plans to talk to Lapeer prosecutors about the case.
Grant said he was not familiar with any details of the Lapeer County investigation, and Reaves would not identify any victim.
Robert Field, 17, of Attica Township said his family is missing a lump-sum payment from Social Security to his mother. Pitcher was guardian for Field and his mother in part of 2007, he said.
During those months, before the family obtained a new guardian through the court, the family had trouble getting bills paid on time, he said.
“We started getting our electric shut off (and) our gas shut off. The bills weren’t getting paid,” Field said. “We would call her and tell her, ‘Shannon, we need some money. We need gas money. We need our bills paid,’ and she would not call us back.”
***
February 19th, 2008 at 1:11 pm
What Shannon Pitcher did was dreadful.
But let’s examine why these vulnerable adults found themselves with an attorney as guardian/conservator.
Court prefers to appoint a family member when there is someone suitable, willing and able to step up to the plate.
Most often third party professional guardians are appointed as a last resort.
In other words if your loved one has been mistreated by a public guardian take a step back from your anger at the un-related individuals, courts and attorneys involved –ask yourself why it ever had to go to court?
As a former guardian I will tell you that family members lost in their own need and greed will do just about anything to gain control of a vulnerable adult or more specifically-their funds.
They will lie,swindle and steal. They will kidnap and hide. Ironically most of the cases I worked with there was no interest in making public or prosecuting the misdeeds of family perpetrators.
Shannon Pitcher took money that didn’t belong to her.
Shannon Pitcher was appointed because no one in the family was suitable, appropriate or willing.
What happend before Shannon Pitcher?
February 24th, 2008 at 5:31 pm
Madwoman,
I have news for you. You stated “Shannon Pitcher was appointed because no one in the family was suitable, appropriate or willing”. In our family’s case that was not true, so I take offense with your “generalized” statement. Please don’t make them if you don’t have all your facts straight. I have a background in Social Work, I wanted guardianship of my parents, but a Michigan judge did not want their assets and them going to another State so he threw them in the hands of an attorney who was more sinister and abusive than Shannon Pitcher could ever be. In trying to extract my parents out of that man’s hands, the judge then threw my parents into Pitcher’s hands. Professionals of The Family Service Agency of Flint, MI were appalled at the Judge’s behavior and stated that when a family member, such as myself, comes forward they bend over backwards to assist that family member in gaining guardianship and caring for their loved ones. I didn’t steal, swindle or lie to get my parent’s monies. My parent’s sin..they were old-fashioned in their thinking, thought they were invincible and didn’t sign a power of attorney until it was too late. Don’t protect the sick, greed and corruption which goes on across Michigan in their Probate Systems by “court-appointed” vultures. A system which keeps hard, working middle class and poorer families in its’ clutches while they drain their financial savings in court costs, one appointed guardian ad litem after another, processing fees, and constant hearings, etc. Don’t protect a judge or system where a judge would kick a 70 year old nun out of court because he stated he had his hands hit with rulers as a kid in Catholic grade schools, when that nun was there as a hospital chaplain to share how I cared for my parents. Contact the Governor’s Office and find out about the fraud attributed to court appointed guardians and conservators in the sizes and shapes of attorneys. “Why was the Governor’s Office in Michigan conducting secret investigations into this very thing?”
Maybe you are an upright, honest, former guardian and that is admirable, but please don’t generalize all cases put in Shannon Pitcher’s hands due to family members who were “questionable” as being the reason. I wrote a 20 page Care Plan for my parents and came up against a corrupt system led by a Judge who thank Heaven has now retired.
February 24th, 2008 at 5:39 pm
If anyone on this website has had serious problems with a guardian and conservator by the name of Attorney Martin Tyckoski of Flint, MI. Please share. Thank you.
February 24th, 2008 at 5:45 pm
You are right Drew Hoffman, the Attorney Grievance Board of Detroit MI is a joke and as for Matt Chambers he should not be in the law field whatsoever with his lack of morals, insight and his need to enable those who were corrupt. Shannon Pitcher has admitted her guilt, what is Matt’s problem?
February 25th, 2008 at 6:44 pm
I am a well respected Adult Foster Care provider in Genesee County and I have had several consumers as residents from Mr. Martin Tyckoski office and I have not had any problems. It was always easy to work with him and his primary goal was to make sure that the consumers were taken care of and had their needs met both financially and physically. I personally have nothing bad to say about Mr. Tyckoski.
On a more personal note, I also have guardianship of my emotionally disturbed cousin and the only person who I would feel most comfortable taken care of her would be Mr. Martin Tyckoski.
From what I see here if Mr. Martin Tyckoski was ever to see this blog I feel that he could consider it slanderous, so please be careful what you say on the internet because I believe it can be brought into court.
It is a horrible thing that happened with Shannon Pitcher and I think she needs a lot of help and prayers.
Peace be with you,
February 25th, 2008 at 6:50 pm
My comment was not aimed at any one story on this board.
But It seems as if my comment has struck a nerve!
Makes me wonder about the other side of the story.
March 18th, 2008 at 9:51 am
easy to slander with you’re well deserved anger, but leave you’re contact informantion. Joseph chambers @ Sloppyjoec@hotmail.com
March 27th, 2008 at 12:34 am
To the “Well Respected AFC Provider…..I appreciate your comment and as a “well respected AFC provider” I am glad you are out there, but there are others in Genesee County not like you and vulnerable people suffer and die prematurely.
In regards to anything being slanderous written on this blog regarding Mr. T, we are not the least bit concerned as we have substantial proof backing up what has been stated. Meeting Mr. T in court and submitting that evidence would bring many things out in the open and work towards a resolution of justice for two very vulnerable adults, as well as. others who weren’t as blessed as your residents are under his care. One only needs to talk with some well respected professionals connected with the Center for Gerontology confidentially regarding Guardianship and Conservatorship of Mr.T. You may be experiencing a new Mr. T. considering the past case with Ms. Pitcher and the fact that the detectives in Flint came unannounced to Mr. T’s office. If that is the case that is wonderful and promising for other wards.
In regards to Ms. Pitcher, “yes” she does need considerable prayers and help. I believe she is truly turning her life around. This is an attorney attempting to get honest now and right her wrongs.
April 2nd, 2008 at 10:53 am
It’s not what you do or did, It’s not what you say or said, it’s how you made them feel.
May 10th, 2009 at 2:55 pm
Does anyone know when Ms Pitcher is due to be paroled?
May 26th, 2009 at 5:46 pm
I hired Shannon Pitcher to go after a bad contractor.. Little did I know, she was just as bad as the contractor… Now, I am out $25Gs instead of $22Gs… She is a loser and deserves every day in prison for what she did to the elderly… I can only pray I have my full senses about myself when I am that age, so I do not have to rely on people like Shannon Pitcher to handle my finances… Kind of make you wonder about the judge that was appointing her conservitor.
August 26th, 2009 at 10:19 am
She can get out in November. She is now at the White Lake minumum security correctional facility, where she is provided with room and board, recreational facilities, a library, and the company of fellow con artists. Summer camp, only with barbed wire and 12 months a year. I’m writing the Michigan parole board to suggest she be released as early as possible. Real punishment will be trying to survive in the real world. (Shannon, dear heart: if you’re reading this, on your taxpayer-provided high-speed Internet connection, there are many people on the outside, some of them former clients, who just can’t wait to meet you again. Be sure to wear the black lingerie and the strong perfume, so they’ll know it’s you. You’ve no doubt aged a lot since they last saw you!
September 5th, 2009 at 11:55 am
Shannon Pitcher is my cousin. You know, even though she stole almost $500,000 most of it was recovered. Why don’t you all bitch about the guy down the road who is molesting the 12 year girl? She made a mistake, she is only human. You make mistakes too. Ms. Meredith Martinez I am sure you aren’t Gods gift. And so what if she wants to wear the black langerie and strong purfume? What’s it to you? Do you need a lady of the hour? Not only are you paying for her high-speed internet, your paying the person who killed 20+ people to live. Get over yourself.
And Shannon if you are reading this on your high-speed internet that we are provinding you, you are family we love and forgive you for the mistake you made! Can’t wait to see you at the next family reunion!
November 3rd, 2009 at 5:53 pm
She’s out. Released October 21. Now the real punishment starts. No more taxpayer funded summer camp. Time to make it in the real world. You’re a cousin? How wonderful. I’ve been hoping my path would cross with that of a family member. We all make mistakes, but your cousin destroyed the lives of an awful lot of people. The fact that most of the stolen money was recovered — if it really was — doesn’t change the fact that your cousin is the living presence of the Devil on earth.
December 20th, 2009 at 8:27 am
Only if you believe in the Devil. For you yes, but whereas I don’t know what to believe. To you, you think the real punishment starts, we are a close knit family, we may not like what she did 110%, but we are going to help her in every single way that we can. She is sorry for what she has done, she did her time, and whats done is done.
Just remember your paying for summer camp for those who have done far worse things than just stealing money. For example taking the innocence of a child. I think we would both agree thats worse than stealing money.
February 2nd, 2010 at 8:50 pm
Kristen,
I agree with you that Shannon is truly sorry for what she did, that she was deeply affected by the realization of those she hurt, her prison experience and has genuine remorse. I believe she can turn her life around and truly help others now in society based on what she did in the past and the price she paid. I hope Shannon chooses to eventually share her story to now protect other vulnerable adults.
There is a very good and caring side to Shannon, what she did was wrong most definitely and caused my family and I much heartache, but who are we to judge what she did only God can do that. Shannon’s actions were horrible (she knows that), but her actions are separate from who she is as a person.
I have supported Shannon in prison and still support her. I am glad she has a close knit family to help her turn her life around.
I am hoping someday to hear from Shannon and that she will, as she can, make amends to me.
She is in my prayers. Kristen, I am glad she has you.