LANSING, Mich. (WWJ) -- A woman has been formally charged in Wayne County 18th District Court for allegedly defrauding the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and the Michigan Department of Treasury out of nearly $500,000.
Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel’s office says 60-year-old Sophia J. Quill was arraigned Thursday via Zoom for her involvement in a criminal enterprise that took more than $430,000 from the VA and an additional $40,000 from the Michigan Department of Treasury between 2013 and 2019.
Quill allegedly worked with a co-conspirator -- Michigander Melissa Flores, who was arraigned for the scheme in 2020 -- to create aliases and obtain or create fraudulent documents, making it appear that they were heirs to various individuals who died.
Flores, from Westland, was arraigned last June and charged with six felony counts. Another co-conspirator, Steven Decker of Wyandotte -- Quill’s son -- allegedly took some proceeds from Flores and Quill, using that money to conceal property necessary for the scheme.
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Quill’s charges include:
-- one count of conducting a criminal enterprise, a felony punishable by up to 20 years’ imprisonment, $100,000 fine and forfeiture of proceeds and items used during the crime
-- four counts of False Pretenses $50,000-$100,000, a felony punishable by up to 15 years’ imprisonment, $25,000 fine or three times the value of the money or property involved -- whichever is greater
-- two counts of False Pretenses $20,000-$50,000, a felony punishable by 15 years’ imprisonment, $15,000 fine or three times the value of the money or property involved -- whichever is greater
-- two counts of False Pretenses $1,000-$20,000, a felony punishable by 5 years’ imprisonment, $10,000 fine or three times the value of the money or property involved -- whichever is greater.
Quill was charged as a Fourth Habitual Offender, meaning she is facing a maximum term of life imprisonment if convicted of any of the charges.
“I said it after the first arraignments and I’ll say it again—taking advantage of agencies that offer public benefits for our servicemembers and their families is a slap in the face to the brave men and women who protect this country,” Nessel said in a press release. “Let the months spent building and prosecuting this case serve as a warning to anyone trying to defraud our state or federal agencies. It will not be tolerated.”
Quill was not arraigned in Michigan last year with her co-defendants because she is out of state and COVID-19 made extradition from Florida difficult. However, the Wayne County District Court was recently able to coordinate Quill's remote arraignment.
Judge McConnell set bond at $10,000 cash/surety and ordered that Quill have no contact with co-defendant Flores.
A Probable Cause Conference is scheduled for April 29 and a Preliminary Examination is scheduled for May 6, both over Zoom.