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AG: State Cop Spent $170K In Embezzled Funds On Plastic Surgeries, Vacations

DETROIT (WWJ) - A now former Michigan State Police trooper has admitted to stealing and spending a massive amount of cash.

The Michigan Attorney General's Office says 31-year old Seth Swanson of Royal Oak pleaded guilty in Oakland County Circuit Court Wednesday morning to one felony count of embezzlement by a public official and one felony count of uttering and publishing.

Authorities say, between August 2014 and December 2015, Swanson took $170,000 from salvage vehicle inspection fees by falsifying Michigan Secretary of State forms required for a clean title.

The money is supposed to go to State Police to fight auto thefts.

Instead, investigators found Swanson used the funds for multiple plastic surgeries, to pay off credit cards, go on vacations and to have improvements done at his home.

Swanson was suspended without pay effective Feb. 10, 2015.  He then resigned from the force on Oct. 24, 2016.

"Police officers are entrusted with upholding the law so it is especially disappointing when they are the ones that break it," said AG Bill Schuette, in a media release.

"This former is officer is now seeing the consequences of his illegal actions. I want to thank the Michigan State Police and FBI's Detroit Area Public Corruption Task Force for their hard work on this investigation."

Swanson is scheduled to be sentenced on Feb. 28.

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