By By JAN GRIFFEY and MARCIA STEFFENS / Niles Daily Star
NILES – In a shocking announcement, Cass County Prosecutor Victor Fitz advised that charges against Samuel Sweeden have been dismissed today without prejudice.
In a two-sentence press release issued this morning, Fitz said both parties have "mutually agreed to make no public comments regarding the case at this time."
The personal and business lives of Samuel J. Sweeden and his family, which operate SamSon Used Car Superstore in Niles, were turned upside down when Sweeden, 54, was arrested and charged with three felony counts in May.
The charges were related to his alleged multi-million dollar embezzlement of his in-law's 1994 Kansas Power Ball Lottery winnings of about $10 million.
Throughout the ordeal, Sweeden and his family maintained their innocence and said the truth would prevail in the end.
Speaking to the Niles Daily Star following his father's arrest, Sweeden's son, Tom, said, "I don't hide behind an attorney. I know where the money for the businesses came from and none of it came from Felix Kane's lottery winnings."
He added that his accountant told him, "'Tommy, I've known your Dad for over 25 years. He has never asked me to do anything the least bit irregular.' This should never have become public or part of the criminal system. It is personal family business," Sweeden's son added.
The elder Sweeden was arraigned in Cass County Court on a $250,000 bond.
Authorities from multiple agencies executed search warrants May 23 at Sweeden's businesses and homes. At the home, they recovered $91,000 in cash from a safe, expensive jewelry and financial records.
Police seized the entire inventory of Sweeden's South 11th St. Niles car lot. Forty-six cars were impounded at the Law Enforcement Complex in Niles.
At that time, Sweeden faced charges on criminal enterprises and racketeering, carrying a possible sentence of 20 years in prison; embezzlement over $20,000 and failure to file/false tax return.
Detective Sgt. Fabian Suarez of the Michigan State Police Niles Post 53 apparently initated the investigation at the beginning of the year, after being contacted by the son of Felix Kane, 85, and his wife, Alma La-Verne Kane, also 85, Sweeden's in-laws.
Sweeden was accused of using his position of trust and influence to control the assets of Kane, including building a home for his in-laws on his 163 Brush Road, Cass County property for an approximate $600,000.
"Criminal Racketeering is a matter of trust and the ultimate betrayal of that trust," said Cass County Prosecutor, Victor A. Fitz when Sweeden was arrested.
However, a Cass County judge ordered the seized vehicles be returned to the business and June 11.
Sweeden, his two sons, two daughters and their families run two used car businesses, one in Niles and the other in Goshen, Ind.