Bemidji, Beltrami County (trfnews.i234.me) — Daniel Lee Bliss, 64, of Bemidji, faces two felony charges.
Charges
Prosecutors charged Bliss with two counts of financial exploitation of a vulnerable adult.
- Felony: Alleged breach of fiduciary duty by failing to provide care, under Minnesota Statute 609.2335.
- Felony: Alleged use or taking of a vulnerable adult’s property for someone else’s benefit, under Minnesota Statute 609.2335.
What the complaint alleges
Court papers say Bliss managed finances for his mother, a woman in her 90s.
She has Alzheimer’s disease, according to the complaint.
An assisted living facility reported she was nearly $50,000 behind on bills.
Investigators say Bliss diverted her money for personal spending.
Bank records reviewed in the case list several purchases and payments.
They include about $12,800 used for utilities, credit cards, and cash transfers.
The complaint lists these examples of spending.
- $993.16 for food and meals.
- $2,407.77 for Bliss’s utility bills.
- $5,567.68 paid to a Discover card.
- $3,928 sent to Bliss’s ex-wife, according to statements in the file.
Authorities estimate the total taken was $12,896.61.
Timeline and court process
The facility contacted Bemidji Police on July 9, 2025, the complaint says.
The alleged offense date is listed as July 1, 2025.
The case was filed in court on January 22, 2026.
Judge Jeanine R. Brand signed the complaint on January 22, 2026.
Bliss was charged by summons, according to the court filing.
Charges are allegations, and a defendant is presumed innocent in court.
Learn more
You can read Minnesota’s financial exploitation law at Revisor of Statutes.
To report suspected vulnerable adult maltreatment, see MAARC.
Caregivers can find help on financial abuse at the Alzheimer’s Association.
Public court records may be available through Minnesota Court Records Online.
I’m Chris Harper reporting for TRF News.