ALLEGAN COUNTY, Mich. (Feb. 27, 2014) — A former Allegan County Commissioner is charged with stealing more than $20,000 dollars from a friend’s bank account.
Terry Burns posted on Facebook that he “borrowed” the money, and that he’s already paid what he calls a loan back to his friend, but neither the alleged victim’s long term girlfriend or Michigan State Police said that’s true.
Burns is charged with one count of embezzlement.
Terry Burns served several years on the Allegan County Commission until losing re-election early last year.
The long time girlfriend of 84-year-old Joe Migas said that Burns was the guardian ad litem for Migas because of his ailing health which includes dementia.
Janet Fahey says she’s known Migas for 30 years.
Fahey said that Migas was told by the bank that $30,000 dollars had been taken out of his trust account.
Burns posted this statement on his Facebook saying it was a loan that Migas had agreed to lend.
“One thing that I want to tell everyone is that I borrowed a significant amount of money from the guardianship account which was under my control,” Burns wrote on his Facebook page.
Fahey said that he would never loan the money, and with his dementia was never in a position to make that kind of a deal.
Burns wrote on his Facebook page that the money has been paid back.
Fahey said that’s not true and Migas is still out the money.
If found guilty of the charge he’s facing, Burns could spend up to 10 years in prison.
Allegan County Commissioners that worked with Burns that we spoke with had nothing but positive things to say about him, calling him an active member of the commission who brought several ideas to the table.
