Traci Michele Kornak, former Michigan Democratic Party treasurer and Belmont attorney, was charged by Kent County prosecutors with two counts of embezzlement and one count of false pretenses related to her conduct as conservator for an elderly woman.
The charges follow a months-long investigation into suspected financial exploitation of a vulnerable adult and come one day after the Michigan House Oversight Committee raised ethical concerns about earlier handling of the matter.
“Kent County’s charges confirm what we have warned about. When red flags are ignored, vulnerable people suffer,” said Rep. Gina Johnsen (R-Portland). “This case underscores the need for strong oversight and real accountability in government and public office.”
Kornak, who also served on Attorney General Dana Nessel’s 2018 transition team, faces up to 15 years in prison if convicted. At recent Oversight Committee hearings, leadership highlighted subpoenaed records showing more than $419,000 in questionable transactions connected to Kornak and questioned whether ethical safeguards were upheld while a prior investigation was underway. These records also revealed the investigation remained open while Kornak was being considered for a potential court appointment, raising serious questions about ethical firewalls.
“Protecting the most vulnerable in our communities is not a partisan issue,” Johnsen added. “Today’s charges are a reminder that safeguards must work and oversight must be relentless.”
According to testimony during oversight hearings, Kornak was the court-appointed conservator for Rose Burd, who died in April 2025. The state’s Adult Protective Services released investigator notes showing concerns Kornak exploited Burd financially. During one incident, Burd showed a caregiver named Jennifer a financial statement revealing a $30,000 withdrawal she was unaware of. As Jennifer reviewed the statement, Kornak entered, grabbed it from her hand and stated, “Give that to me! You don’t need that. That’s mine.”
The investigator’s notes further indicated: “Jennifer said that Traci often talks about her status and that she’s best friends with Governor Whitmer.”
Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel has been accused of a conflict of interest by House Oversight Committee Republicans because Nessel requested updates on the case involving Kornak, who served on her transition team and was previously the state Democratic Party treasurer.