Tanya Hobson, a former director of the Tuscola County Peer Center, has been charged with embezzlement. The Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel announced that Hobson was arraigned in 71B District Court in Caro before Magistrate Joseph A. Van Auken. She faces one count of Embezzlement-Agent or Trustee involving amounts between $1,000 and $20,000. This felony charge could result in up to five years in prison and/or a fine of up to $10,000 or three times the value of the embezzled funds.
Hobson held her position at the Peer Center from May to December 2023. The center is linked with Tuscola Behavioral Health Systems and primarily funded by Medicaid. It provides self-advocacy skills and mutual support services for individuals receiving mental health services.
During her tenure as director, Hobson was responsible for various administrative tasks including scheduling outings and managing finances. It is alleged that she misappropriated over $1,000 for personal use.
"Medicaid funds, especially those intended to help provide mental health resources, should be used to support the people who rely on these critical services, not siphoned away by those in positions of power," Nessel stated. "My office remains committed to holding accountable those who abuse their authority and ensuring that funds meant to help Michiganders are protected."
Hobson's Probable Cause Conference is set for March 12, followed by a Preliminary Examination on March 19. She was released on a $10,000 personal recognizance bond.
The case is being handled by the Attorney General’s Health Care Fraud Division (HCFD), which serves as Michigan's Medicaid Fraud Control Unit. The division receives 75% of its funding from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services under a grant totaling $5,703,460 for fiscal year 2025; the remaining 25%, amounting to $1,901,152, comes from the State of Michigan.