WARREN, Mich. (WXYZ) — A Macomb County pharmacy owner says he still can’t access 16 of his bank accounts, despite a court order instructing the Michigan Attorney General’s Office to release his money from a freeze.
It’s part of a case playing out in Macomb County Circuit Court. The pharmacy owner told us his bank accounts were wrongfully seized and re-seized, in violation of a court order.
“My pharmacy almost closed,” said Prakash Gera, owner of Hoover Drugs in Warren.
His attorney Steve Haney told us Gera is not under criminal investigation, however, the seizing of accounts was done in relation to an investigation into his wife’s physical therapy business.
“I suffered a lot. Lack of funds. Lost relationships with family, friends and patients,” Gera said.
Haney says the toll taken on his client is immense.
“They crippled him. He had no banking. They seized multiple accounts and the account of his elderly father-in-law.”
On Sept. 25, Judge James Biernat ordered the funds to be released after hearing arguments that there was no connection to the other case. However soon after, Haney says a special agent and assistant attorney general went to a different judge to re-instate the hold.
“It’s outrageous. They defied the order, going an hour later after leaving this court to get another order to re-seize this property,” Haney said.
In court, a representative of the AG’s office addressed the issue before the judge.
“I’m asking this court to give us 60 to 90 days to allow this office to conduct an investigation,” Danielle Hagaman-Clark said.
Firing back was Haney who responded saying, “My client still 4 1/2 months later doesn’t have property the AG admitted they had no probable cause to have for the investigation.”
Hagaman-Clark also went on record to add, “For purposes of the accounts, I’ll agree we’ll work toward getting them unfrozen again. Special Agent Shock and Assistant AG Glenn will be removed from the investigation, and other people put in their place to continue the criminal investigation.”
The contempt of court hearing is set for Dec. 8 in front of Macomb County Chief Judge James Biernat.
Thursday night, the Michigan AG’s office issued the following statement:
"To facilitate the continuing criminal investigation into Hoover PT and Mr. Gera, it was prudent to reassign Special Agent Shock and Assistant Attorney General Glenn from the investigation while this matter is explored.
The Department has assigned a special agent from a division apart from Glenn and Shock to investigate the circumstances alleged in Mr. Haney’s request for a hearing. That investigation will be concluded prior to the December 8 hearing before Judge Biernat."
