Oxford Village Police Chief Mike Neymanowski’s close friendship with a local elderly man and subsequent inheritance of his estate worth more than $1 million was the focus of a recent investigation by the Oakland County Sheriff’s Special Investigations Unit.
Neymanowski was the sole beneficiary of Oxford Township resident Alfred Herman Oberstaedt’s estate. Oberstaedt died of congestive heart failure at the age of 91 on Dec. 22, 2006, just 13 days after his last will and testament was signed.
The three-month investigation into whether Neymanowski exerted any undue influence over Oberstaedt to gain control of his inheritance resulted in no criminal charges against the chief, who had befriended the elderly man around 2001.
‘One-hundred percent, I didn’t do anything wrong,? said Neymanowski during a 40-minute interview with this reporter. ‘I helped a friend out and I guess I’m very fortunate, blessed.?
‘I did the right thing for Al,? the chief noted. ?(I) didn’t expect the end result of it. I did it because during those last years or months, nobody else was coming forward to take care of his needs. I was there.?
Although the investigation found no evidence of any potential crimes committed by Neymanowski, it did allege wrongdoing on the part of the Oxford attorney Greg Kudela, who prepared Oberstaedt’s will, signed it as a witness and notarized it.
Under Michigan law, a Notary Public cannot notarize his own signature. To do so is a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of up to $5,000 and/or imprisonment for up to one year.
The Oakland County Prosecutor’s Office could not charge Kudela, who’s president of the Rotary Club of Oxford, because the statute of limitations had expired, according to the sheriff’s report, which the Leader obtained under the Freedom of Information Act.
However, the state’s Attorney Grievance Commission (AGC), which has jurisdiction over all attorneys licensed or otherwise permitted to practice law in Michigan, could still investigate Kudela and potentially sanction him.
‘We don’t have a statute of limitations,? said AGC Administrator Alan Gershel. ‘Obviously, we like cases newer rather than older for all kinds of reasons, but we don’t have a statute of limitations here.?
‘We get a referral on an attorney, we’ll dig down. We’ll look at it,? he continued. ‘If it does, in fact, violate any of the rules of professional responsibility, we’ll investigate the matter.?
This reporter forwarded a copy of the sheriff’s report to Gershel and the AGC.
When asked about his involvement with Oberstaedt’s will and his alleged wrongdoing, Kudela, whose practice is located at 95 S. Washington St., replied, ‘I respectfully decline to respond to the questions you posed to me this morning.?
Why was there an investigation?
A confidential informant who had been a longtime friend of Oberstaedt’s made a complaint to the sheriff’s office earlier this year.
This individual felt Oberstaedt’s death was ‘suspicious? and he ‘may have been murdered,? the report stated.
The informant ‘always felt something was not right concerning Al’s passing and what happened concerning the estate, but had never come forward with his suspicions until this time,? the report stated.
The investigation began at the end of February and concluded in early June.
The estate
Probate court records show Oberstaedt had an estate worth $1.147 million, which included cash, real estate and personal property.
After expenses were paid, Neymanowski, a retired Detroit cop who became the village police chief in 2000, received $1.12 million, which included a partial payment of $377,193, followed by receipt of the estate’s balance of $742,338.
That’s not including the approximately $80,000 that, according to the sheriff’s report, Neymanowski found in Oberstaedt’s home.
‘I still haven’t went through the whole house,? the chief told this reporter. ‘There was rumors that there was money in the house. Yeah, there was a few bucks here and there.?
When asked by this reporter if he found $80,000 as stated in the report, Neymanowski replied, ‘Probably close to it.?
‘There could be more in there. I don’t know,? he noted. ‘The house was (broken) into, so whatever was in there may be gone now.?
The chief still owns the home along with the 13 acres it sits on. He plans to someday sell it.
Neymanowski told investigators that Oberstaedt ‘wanted him to travel, retire and live ‘comfortably,?? the report stated. The chief said Oberstaedt also wanted him ‘to send his kids through college.?
Take care of her
The chief wasn’t the only one who benefited from Oberstaedt’s estate.
According to Neymanowski, Oberstaedt’s ‘main request? was that he ‘take care of? a 42-year-old Flint woman, who had lived with him as a youth and now has a daughter of her own.
‘He kept repeating (this request),? the chief said.
In the report, Neymanowski told investigators Oberstaedt had taken in this woman as a ‘foster child? when she was 10 years old because ‘some bad things? had happened to her.
Per the sheriff’s report, the woman said ‘her mother did not want her and dropped her off at (Oberstaedt’s) to live.? She lived there between the ages of 10 and 17 and told investigators she did not go to school during this time.
In accordance with Oberstaedt’s wishes, the chief said he gave this woman $100,000 and bought her a car.
When interviewed by investigators, this woman said Neymanowski gave her an old station wagon that had belonged to Oberstaedt, which the chief valued at $10,000, and said he was setting up an account for her with $90,000 in it. She told investigators she actually only received $40,000 and believed she had been ‘swindled.?
Neymanowski told this reporter this woman wasn’t reliable at the time when it came to managing money and that’s why Oberstaedt left it up to him to oversee what she received. The chief said ultimately, she ‘pissed through? the $100,000 he gave her ‘in a year.?
This woman told investigators that Neymanowski tried to keep her away from Oberstaedt and she felt the chief ‘was trying to push her out of Al’s life.?
When asked if had tried to keep her or other people away from Oberstaedt, Neymanowski replied, ‘Hell no. In fact, I was trying to do the opposite.?
Neymanowski said he tried his best to get people involved with Oberstaedt and would have welcomed some help.
In her interview with investigators, this woman accused Oberstaedt of drugging her, then sexually abusing her ‘the entire time? she lived with him as a youth and she ‘now feels that Al was a pedophile.?
She claims Neymanowski knew Oberstaedt had abused her and she told the chief about it over lunch one day.
Neymanowski denied this. ?(The woman) never mentioned anything to me,? he told this reporter. ‘In fact, she spoke highly of Al.?
During their investigation, detectives learned that on June 21, 1962, an Oakland County Circuit Court jury found Oberstaedt guilty of assault with intent to commit rape and indecent liberties. The case involved a 15-year-old girl who spent the night at Oberstaedt’s home on July 3, 1961.
Oberstaedt’s case was appealed to a higher court, which reversed the conviction, set aside the sentence and ordered a new trial. Upon being sent back to circuit court, the case was dismissed on April 27, 1964.
When asked if he had heard anything with regard to this portion of Oberstaedt’s past, Neymanowski replied, ‘I think there were rumors.?
Jack LeRoy, who served with the Oxford Police Department from 1971-94 and spent the last 7? years as chief, told sheriff’s investigators that the former chief, Al Roberts, had told him Oberstaedt had been arrested for criminal sexual conduct and the case ‘had been appealed.?
A challenge to Oberstaedt’s will
There was a petition to set aside Oberstaedt’s will filed in Oakland County Circuit Court in June 2007.
It was filed by Patrick McNeil, who had been a part-time officer for the Oxford Police Department and claimed to have known Oberstaedt for more than 18 years. He told investigators that Oberstaedt was not speaking to him at the time of his death.
McNeil’s petition argued the will should be set aside because it was prepared and signed at a time when Oberstaedt’s health was ‘rapidly declining? and he ‘lacked the mental competency or capacity to make a valid last will and testament.?
The petition stated Oberstaedt’s will did not represent his wishes because it ‘was induced by fraud and undue influence practiced . . . by Michael Harry Neymanowski,? who was named as the sole beneficiary.
However, when he was interviewed by sheriff’s investigators, the report stated McNeil said ‘he doesn’t believe fraud was used by the chief, but that he didn’t feel the will was obtained by the chief in a fair way.?
?(McNeil) said he believed Al’s personality was such that he would only be close to one person at a time,? the report stated. ‘At the time of Al’s death, he was close only to Chief Neymanowski.?
McNeil described Oberstaedt as ‘a loner who loved his dogs more than any person? and fed them better than himself. He also said Oberstaedt only lived in and used two rooms in his house and did not have a bathtub or shower.
In the sheriff’s report, witnesses described Oberstaedt as a ‘hoarder? and said he ‘lived like a hermit.?
According to the report, McNeil said ‘the motivating factor? for his challenge to Oberstaedt’s will was the fact that former Oxford Police Officer James Flores was not mentioned in it. McNeil explained to investigators that Flores, who passed away in May 2009, ‘had been close with? Oberstaedt and he was ‘surprised? by the omission of Flores? name from the will.
When Neymanowski was interviewed by investigators, he indicated that McNeil and Oberstaedt had a falling out and the latter ‘did not want anything (from his estate) to go to? the former. According to the chief, McNeil ‘shot one of (Oberstaedt’s) dogs.?
The chief went on to explain that Oberstaedt had loaned McNeil money to build a house and he wasn’t sure if it was ever repaid. Neymanowski also told investigators McNeil told him ‘he felt like he deserved something? from Oberstaedt’s estate.
McNeil told investigators Oberstaedt loaned him ‘around $19,000? at one point and he repaid it.
McNeil, who passed away in May of this year, ultimately dropped his petition after ‘a deal was worked out? by which Neymanowski would give Flores some money from the estate, according to the report.
Court records show the case was dismissed on Aug. 16, 2007.
‘The attorneys worked out a deal outside of court on this issue and there is no public record recording what had occurred to document this,? the sheriff’s report stated. ?(McNeil) thought that Jim got somewhere between $20,000 and $30,000.?
Investigators interviewed Flores? widow, Hazel, who told them her late husband received ‘around $42,000? from Oberstaedt’s estate.
McNeil was represented by Commerce Township attorney Robert Alonzi, who’s also a former Oxford police officer.
In the report, Alonzi told investigators ‘he could not remember anything that was worked out between him and Greg Kudela.?
Kudela, per the report, told investigators he remembered McNeil ‘filing the motion of dismissal, but could not remember why the motion was dismissed.?
Neymanowski told investigators he gave Flores the money not to get McNeil’s petition dropped, but because Flores ‘knew (Oberstaedt) better and was close with (him),? so he felt Flores ‘deserved something.?
Flores had a ‘good heart? and ‘did a lot for Al,? said Neymanowski during his interview with this reporter. ‘He’d go over there and work on his house.?
Hazel told investigators her husband ‘had been close with (Oberstaedt) for a number of years.? Flores ‘would frequently check on (Oberstaedt) during the course of his work hours and also help Al out with fixing things at his home.?
‘Hazel was not exactly sure what had happened between her husband and (Oberstaedt) to cause a breaking of their friendship,? the report stated.
Following Oberstaedt’s death, Neymanowski said he and Flores began discussing things.
‘Jimmy was the kind of guy ? he didn’t want anything,? the chief said. ‘We talked before (McNeil’s petition) came up and I knew I was going to give Jimmy something anyway because Jimmy was close to Al and I felt an obligation at least to do something for Jim.?
?(McNeil) didn’t realize, at the time, that Jim and I were talking about things,? the chief noted. ‘I think after he realized that Jim and I were talking, and that I was (going to give some money to Flores), I think that’s how (the petition got dropped).?
Neymanowski said he didn’t tell McNeil he would pay Flores in exchange for him dropping his petition. ‘It wasn’t like that,? he told this reporter. ‘It came out that way, I guess.?
Neymanowski said he didn’t give McNeil any money from the estate. ‘Al’s wishes were ? he didn’t like Pat at the end and (he told me to) not give anything to Pat McNeil,? he said.
A lucky guy
Flores? widow told investigators, ‘Jim always said that Chief Neymanowski was in the right place at the right time regarding becoming friends with (Oberstaedt) at the end of Al’s life.?
LeRoy told sheriff’s investigators ‘how everyone in town had mentioned how Chief Neymanowski had lucked out because of his friendship with? Oberstaedt. He noted ‘several other people figured they would be mentioned in (Oberstaedt’s) will, but were not,? according to the report.
In the sheriff’s report, McNeil told investigators Oberstaedt had loaned money to officers in the Oxford department and other people.
This reporter asked Neymanowski if during the course of his friendship with Oberstaedt, he was aware of his wealth.
‘There was always rumors about that,? the chief replied. ‘Never seen it, particularly.?
He said he’d heard people say, ‘Al had a lot of money,? but he didn’t see anything specific that confirmed it as fact until after Oberstaedt died.
Once he saw on paper what the estate was worth, Neymanowski said he thought, ‘Wow, I guess (the rumors are) true.?
Oberstaedt’s lifestyle and appearance did not give any indication that he was worth more than $1 million. ‘He was a very frugal guy you could say,? Neymanowski said. ?(He) watched over his money.?
McNeil told investigators Oberstaedt ‘always had older cars and never updated his home.?
Even if Oberstaedt had been worth nothing, Neymanowski said he would have still befriended him and been there for him.
‘I know myself. I’d do the same (thing),? he said. ‘I’m not going to sit on my pedestal here, (but) even as a young officer (in Detroit), I helped elderly people out in my precinct. People were alone, I’d go over there and take food (to them). That’s just the way I was.?
‘Al became a friend,? Neymanowski added. ‘I felt (it was) a good thing I was doing for him because he didn’t have family.?
How did they become friends?
When Neymanowski was interviewed by sheriff’s investigators on March 11, he explained to them that he met Oberstaedt ‘around 2001 at a senior coffee group (that) regularly gathered at McDonald’s.?
‘Chief Neymanowski could not recall if the group invited him or if he just stopped by and introduced himself,? the report stated. ‘Chief Neymanowski said he had just became chief of the village (police) the previous year and one of his officers, Jimmy Flores, was ‘real close? with (Oberstaedt) and they all got to talking. He said thereafter he would stop in 2-3 times per week and have coffee.?
‘If I didn’t show up, he’d call up to the station (and say), ‘Hey chief, get up here. You’re supposed to have coffee today,?? Neymanowski said.
After a while, Neymanowski indicated he and Oberstaedt ‘became close? and the chief was invited to his house.
‘As time went on, (Neymanowski) realized that (Oberstaedt) did not have a family,? the report stated. ‘He invited him to have Thanksgiving (and) meet his kids, his parents and his in-laws. He said (Oberstaedt) was ‘enjoyable? and appreciated having somewhere to go on the holidays.?
‘Our friendship grew that way,? the chief told this reporter.
‘Neymanowski said over the years, he did favors for Al and they became close as a result,? the report stated. ‘He said they went out to dinner together and had lunch regularly. He was asked if he and Al were best friends and he said, ‘probably.??
Neymanowski noted that as a birthday present one year, he gave Oberstaedt ‘a badge and a certificate? making him an ‘honorary reserve? police officer for the village.
‘He was just so proud of that.?
After Oberstaedt fell and hurt his shoulder, which resulted in him having a hard time driving, Neymanowski told investigators he would pick him up and take him to McDonald’s ‘so that he could see ‘the boys.??
Neymanowski also began taking him shopping and driving him to medical appointments. He told investigators he was seeing Oberstaedt ‘almost every day.? He said he even got Oberstaedt to undergo physical therapy.
‘He didn’t like doctors,? the chief said. ‘I convinced him to go to the doctor.?
That doctor was Neymanowski’s personal physician. On Dec. 6, 2006, Neymanowski and his wife took Oberstaedt to the doctor because ‘he had so many dizzy spells? and that’s when it was determined that Oberstaedt ‘was going into congestive heart failure,? the report stated.
How the will came about
‘His health started to fail,? Neymanowski said. ‘I took him to the hospital and he didn’t like hospitals.?
After Oberstaedt checked himself out of Crittenton Hospital in Rochester Hills on Dec. 7, 2006, Neymanowski and his wife picked him up.
?(Neymanowski) said that at the time, (Oberstaedt) approached him and told him that he needed to get something legal (in place) about what he wanted done with his estate,? the report stated.
‘We talked a lot when we came out of Crittenton that night. He kind of knew what was going on,? Neymanowski told this reporter.
‘He started saying A, B, C, D ? this is what I want you to do,? the chief said. ‘He gave me some specific things that he wanted me to do.?
‘Al was very straightforward in everything,? he noted.
Neymanowski said it was Oberstaedt’s idea to make him the sole beneficiary of his estate. When asked why Oberstaedt didn’t name other people in his will if he wanted money to go to them, Neymanowski said he believes Oberstaedt trusted him to carry out his wishes. ‘I think he knew I would do it for him,? the chief said.
That’s when Neymanowski called upon the services of Kudela, a fellow member of the Rotary Club of Oxford, and introduced the attorney to Oberstaedt.
‘I knew Greg. He was a friend. That’s who you usually turn to,? the chief said.
This reporter asked Neymanowski if Oberstaedt had a will prior to this.
‘Not that I know of,? he replied. ?(He) didn’t say anything about it.?
According to the sheriff’s report, the will was signed at Oberstaedt’s home on Dec. 9, 2006 with Kudela and Pastor Dave Gerber, chaplain for the village police department, present as witnesses.
When interviewed by investigators, Gerber remembered Oberstaedt ‘as being lucid and asking questions while reviewing the will,? the report stated.
Kudela told detectives he recalled Oberstaedt ‘being emotional at the time of the will signing,? but he also remembered him as ‘being mentally aware of what was going on and wanting a will written? and ‘filed on his behalf.?
‘Al was very alert,? said Neymanowski, who noted his health issues didn’t impact his mind.
Kudela told investigators he was introduced to Oberstaedt by Neymanowski.
In the report, Gerber stated it was Kudela who contacted him and asked him to come over to Oberstaedt’s house to witness the will’s signing. This reporter asked Gerber if he received any money for witnessing the will’s signing and he replied, ‘Oh God, no . . . I was not (paid).?
Other than answering that question, Gerber politely declined to comment any further.
Investigators told Neymanowski that ‘on its face? things looked suspicious based on the fact that a Rotary Club friend of his drafted the will and the signing was witnessed by the police chaplain, who is also a friend.
The chief responded that in ‘trying times . . . . he went to people he knows,? the report stated. ‘Neymanowski said in hindsight it is easy to see what it looks like, but at the time, he was just doing what he thought was right.?
‘The thing is when you’re in this situation, you have these friends, which makes it a lot, I could say, easier,? Neymanowski told this reporter. ‘That’s when (being in) a small community comes in really nice because you (have) got these avenues you can turn to. They were (the) people that I turned to that helped me through this.?
One of the investigators asked Kudela if he ‘thought it was strange that just under two weeks after signing the will, (Oberstaedt) had passed away? and that Neymanowski was the sole beneficiary of the estate.
Kudela said ‘he didn’t think it was suspicious at all and that he handled estates under similar circumstances like this all the time,? the report stated.
Oberstaedt was admitted to Brian’s House Residential Hospice in Davison on the same day the will was signed (Dec. 9), according to the report. Per the sheriff’s report, hospice personnel recommended Oberstaedt be moved to the center because his home was so ‘dirty and cluttered.? He died on Dec. 22.
No autopsy was performed and Oberstaedt was cremated. Neymanowski said the cremation was per Oberstaedt’s wishes.
Neymanowski defends his actions
The chief does not believe he did anything wrong with regard to his relationship with Oberstaedt or his handling of his estate.
‘Nobody else was coming forward, at the time, (to) help Al out,? Neymanowski told this reporter. ‘I was just there and he asked me to do this stuff. I felt (like) Al’s a friend, I’m going to help him out now. So, that’s how this all transpired.?
When asked by investigators if he used his position as police chief ‘to create an undue influence upon (Oberstaedt) to obtain control of his estate,? Neymanowski replied, ‘Not at all. Al was a friend.?
‘Chief Neymanowski said he knows he did right by (Oberstaedt) and if someone wants to question it, that is fine, but he will sleep peaceful(ly) at night,? the report stated. ‘He said he is disappointed that someone feels that he did something wrong.?
Neymanowski told this reporter he understands how it could appear to some that he may have used his position as police chief to influence his relationship with Oberstaedt, but he assured that’s not the case.
‘In my heart, (I know) it’s not. It really isn’t,? he said. ‘We were friends.?
He admitted that Oberstaedt did like having the police chief as a friend and thought it was ‘the greatest thing in the world.?
‘As other people do, I think, sometimes,? the chief added.
But Neymanowski explained their relationship was based on ‘more than that.? He said their personalities were such that they clicked and even if he wasn’t the police chief, they still would have been close. ‘I think our friendship was that way,? he said.
Neymanowski freely admitted he’s lucky the way things worked out for him with regard to inheriting Oberstaedt’s estate.
‘Yeah, was I in the right place at the right time? I guess so,? he said. ‘Am I fortunate? Yeah, I really am.?
But he told this reporter he ‘never thought for a minute? that he was using his position as chief to ‘muscle in? on Oberstaedt. He said that idea didn’t enter his mind until it was suggested to him by investigators.
‘I never thought of that,? the chief said.
In light of the sheriff’s investigation, Neymanowski said he thought back about his friendship with Oberstaedt, pondered his actions and determined that definitely was not the case.
‘No way,? he said. ‘We were friends . . . (The person) that made this accusation they just didn’t know the bond, (the) friendship we had, I guess. That’s all I can say. They don’t understand that.?