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Lakeville man accused of duping neighbor into adoption, stealing at least $1M
Joseph Robinson is charged in federal court in a case involving the “staggering apparent financial exploitation of a vulnerable adult.”
MINNEAPOLIS — Federal prosecutors say a Twin Cities man convinced an 83-year-old former neighbor with dementia to adopt him, and then scammed the victim out of more than $1 million.
Joseph Robinson, 44, of Lakeville, is federally indicted for three counts of wire fraud, mail fraud, and two counts of money laundering for actions that allegedly resulted in the theft of $1 million, while Hennepin County Adult Protection investigators believe Robinson ultimately took an additional $1.2 million from the victim, according to court documents.
The victim is a retired accountant from Minneapolis identified in the indictment as “Edward S.”, now 83 years old, who in December 2018 was diagnosed with mild dementia. The condition worsened over the next five years, according to court documents, and the man is currently living in a Lakeville nursing home.
At Robinson’s initial court appearance Thursday, prosecutors revealed that the night before turning himself into authorities, Robinson sent his girlfriends to the nursing home to connect Mr. S. to Robinson via a FaceTime call. As the prosecutor recounted those details to the judge in court, several other defendants from other cases including an alleged gang member charged with RICO rolled their eyes and shook their heads at Robinson.
Details of the allegations are laid out in the federal indictment as well as an emergency guardianship case filed by Fiduciary Foundation in October 2023 in an attempt to stop the fraud, despite the victim Mr. S. at that time siding with Robinson.
According to the guardianship order signed by a Dakota County judge, Robinson took advantage of Mr. S.’s diminished cognitive state to take significant control over the victim’s life and enrich himself.
The initial allegations say Robinson:
- Convinced the victim to adopt him as his son.
- Convinced the victim to transfer real estate to his name.
- Convinced the victim to transfer titles to at least seven classic cars to his name.
- Convinced the victim to give him power of attorney.
- Convinced the victim to lose a brokerage account amounting to over $500,000.
- Obtained control of more than $1.3 million of the victim’s assets.
When KARE 11 News reached Robinson by phone and asked about the details in the court documents, he said, “None of that stuff is true.”
Mr. S’s only actual family members included a sister who lives in Oregon and a brother in Alaska who recently died.
As the court case regarding guardianship proceeded, Robinson began appearing at court hearings with an attorney to contest the allegations against him. During one hearing Robinson testified, saying that Mr. S. told him about these plans long before his cognitive decline.
“My father for years, years, years ago before his situation took place as far as his medical situation, years ago he told me these are the things that he’s leaving me. And he said before he get any worse, these are the decisions he wants to make. That’s what he said,” Robinson said under oath on Oct. 20, 2023, according to court transcripts.
“I have no control what he wants to do for me. I have no control of it. If I’m guilty for what he wants to do for me that’s — I don’t know how to explain it. We have a loving — a beautiful relationship. I’m with him six to seven days a week,” Robinson testified. “I do not… I keep this man healthy. I go to doctor appointments. I do everything underneath the sun for him. He’s here. He’s not pressured. I don’t force him to do anything. I don’t know where these allegations are coming from, but it’s been very despicable, these allegations.”
The petitioner added more allegations in the months after the guardianship was signed, raising the amount they believed Robinson had stolen to $2.2 million.
During testimony, Robinson revealed as a child he met Mr. S. when they were neighbors, then reconnected in about 2018 when the victim hired him to do work on his house.
In December 2023, Robinson filed his own petition for guardianship, writing that as his legal son, Robinson is the only one taking care of him. A month later, Robinson withdrew the request, noting that the Mr. S’s cognitive state continues to decline significantly.
In March 2024, Fiduciary Foundation filed a petition to void the adoption of Robinson by the victim, citing conversion and theft, undue influence, and financial exploitation of a vulnerable adult.
Then, in August, they filed a petition to remove Robinson from Mr. S.’s will, noting that Robinson had sold some of the classic cars the victim had given him, in violation of a court order. A judge granted that request.
Court documents indicate that Robinson and Fiduciary Foundation signed a settlement agreement in September to sign back the victim’s Minneapolis house and remaining classic cars, along with a $200,000 judgment.
However, the FBI executed a search warrant one month later at a storage unit rented by Robinson, and found all of the victim’s belongings from his Minneapolis house inside, along with “a box containing a fairly large number of savings bonds.”
The federal indictment accused Robinson of wire fraud for transfers totaling over $130,000, mail fraud for misuse of a $38,000 check from a car sale refund, and money laundering for cash withdrawals of $20,000 and $35,000 in the months after the guardianship was in place.
Federal prosecutors opted not to seek detention for Robinson, so with the magistrate judge’s reminder not to have any direct or indirect contact with the victim, Robinson is allowed to remain free pending his trial.
At the Hennepin Healthcare Burn Center in Minneapolis, providers have treated three patients with similar cases since the start of this winter season.
MILACA, Minn. — Like many Minnesotans and as a lifelong hunter and angler, Justin Cowden of Milaca typically spends the winter season outdoors. This winter, Cowden is forced to spend most of his time inside and on crutches after the electronically heated insoles he was wearing malfunctioned, exploded and left him with second and third-degree burns.
KARE reported on a similar case on Monday. Since then, more people have reported experiencing similar injuries.
Cowden purchased the insoles from the seller Meisinuo on Amazon in November of last year. The link to the product has since been taken down.
After wearing the insoles last winter with no issues, Cowden put them on once again for the first time this year on Nov. 30—the first day of muzzleloader hunting season. “I was sitting in the stand, and the sun just started to pop up and I heard a pop,” he recalled. “I was thinking the neighbor was shooting at a deer and then all of a sudden, the bottom of my foot just started rolling. I didn’t know what was going on, so I jumped up from my chair and I screamed because I felt the burning, and then I pulled my pant leg up and I saw the smoke coming out of my boot.”
Cowden said it took him less than 10 seconds to remove his boot. When he did, the insole came out in pieces and the battery was stuck to his skin. “I just ripped it off because I didn’t know what else to do. It was a scary situation.”
Cowden was told by specialists he sustained second and third-degree burns on his left foot. Three weeks later, he is still using crutches and following up with weekly appointments. Doctors told him his treatment could possibly require skin graft surgery. “It’s tough. It definitely is,” Cowden said.
At the Hennepin Healthcare Burn Center in Minneapolis, providers have treated three patients with similar cases since the start of this winter season.
It’s something medical professionals are seeing more of, according to Hennepin County Medical Center’s Trauma Prevention Coordinator Kaytlin Hanson.
“We’ve had three patients since the beginning of winter already come in with varying degrees of burns on the lower extremities from first to third-degree, and it is from these insoles malfunctioning or even exploding,” she said. “Our medical staff was kind of shocked. This isn’t something that we’ve seen necessarily in the past, so when you see something that’s all of a sudden, ‘Wow, we have three immediately right away this season,’ we definitely want to get the messaging out there that this is probably a product to stay away from.”
Hanson recommends sticking to tried and true methods of staying warm. “We want you to be wearing some well-insulated boots that are well-fitting, waterproof, and then wearing those thick wool socks. That’s great and all the protection you should need.”
Cowden said he is sharing his story in hopes of warning others who are thinking of buying similar products. “It’s nice to have warm feet when you’re out hunting and fishing, but no, it’s not worth it to deal with that pain,” he said. “It’s the worst pain ever, and like I said, I wouldn’t wish it on anybody.”
On snowy days you don’t take a clear driveway or sidewalk for granted, especially if you don’t know the person clearing it.
HENNEPIN COUNTY, Minn. — While all this snow will open the door to winter fun in the days ahead, it is already proving challenging for area seniors who need help clearing it from their driveways and doorsteps.
Gerrod Ernst is volunteering to make sure Judy Kipka’s sidewalks and patio are cleared, not just today, but all winter long. Though the Kipka’s have taken advantage of the program through Senior Community Services for several years now… They spent part of last winter on a waitlist that included 150 households.
While demand is still high, the volume of volunteers has been picking up. Though fresh snow also likely means fresh demand.
“The phones ring off the hook when there is snow like this because everyone needs help,” said Emma Friend with Senior Community Services. “They need it as quickly as they can get it because they need to leave their house to get to medical appointments, or they have medical professionals who they need to get in their home, and if the snow isn’t removed, they might just not come.”
Ann Baily says DARTS Healthy Aging Solutions, which covers parts of Ramsey, Dakota and Washington counties, had caught up to demand until Thursday morning. Which is why, if you’re willing and able, Ernst has a message for you.
“They can find ones near you or on your way to work, which is what I have,” he said. “As I commute, I can stop by here on my way to or from home, so it’s not really an inconvenience.”
If you’d like information on how to request help with shoveling or how to become a volunteer, click here.
In Hennepin county, KARE 11 is told the need is greatest in Plymouth and Brooklyn Park right now.
Buck Hill was busy Thursday as skiers and snowboarders hit the slopes to enjoy the fresh powder and get their winter adrenaline rush.
MINNESOTA, USA — As the first significant snowfall hits Minnesota, residents are eagerly embracing winter activities after last years winter was such a disappointment for snow lovers.
Buck Hill was busy Thursday as skiers and snowboarders hit the slopes to enjoy the fresh powder and get their winter adrenaline rush. “It was a little bit like being a kid again,” said skier Walker Judd.
Some even had to make ‘special arrangements’ to get their runs in.
“I mean, I did play hooky today, so don’t get me fired. So my excitement is very real,” confessed one snowboarder. “We are preparing for our Colorado ski trip, so we were like, we need to get some action in Minnesota right away.”
But people at Buck Hill weren’t the only ones excited for proper winter weather. Robert Harrell, CEO of Minnesota Ice, is leading an ambitious project that epitomizes this winter spirit. His company is hoping to build the largest ice maze in history for the Minnesota Ice Festival at TCO Stadium, set to open on Jan. 10.
“This year’s maze will be almost 20,000 square feet, where the world record today is about 12,000 square feet,” Harrell said.
The project will require approximately 6,000 ice blocks, each weighing 425 pounds. Harrell and his team began making the blocks six months ago at their warehouse in St. Paul.
The Minnesota Ice festival will also feature an ice slide, and ice rink, food trucks, themed ice bars, and a professional ice sculpting competition. It runs from Jan. 10 to Feb. 16, Thursday through Sunday.
