Michigan timber harvester gets jail time for embezzlement from landowners
INDIAN RIVER, Mich. (FOX 2) - A Michigan timber harvester will spend 45 days in jail for embezzling money from landowners.
Norman Kasubowski, 57, of Indian River, pleaded no contest earlier this year for two counts of embezzlement and two counts of disorderly conduct. The plea came after he was bound over for trial on six counts of embezzlement by an agent or trustee.
Authorities say Kasubowski intentionally underreported timber harvests from private property and deceived landowners to avoid paying them the full value of timber harvested.
As part of his sentence, he will also pay $20,786 in restitution to the six victims.
"With this plea agreement we secured full restitution to the several victims cheated by this unscrupulous operator," said Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel at the time of Kasubowski’s plea. "Defrauding Michigan residents out of their assets and on their own land is not a successful business model, it’s a crime. My office will continue to hold crooked business agents accountable for unfairly treating their customers and those they contract with."