Michigan Attorney General charges former Speaker of the House Lee Chatfield with 13 felonies

LANSING, Mich. (WLNS) — Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel has announced 13 criminal charges against former Michigan Speaker of the House Lee Chatfield.

Attorney General Dana Nessel alleges Chatfield used nonprofit funds for personal uses, including paying off credit cards and funding “lavish” vacations including trips to Universal Studios in Orlando, Las Vegas and the Bahamas.

He is accused of embezzlement by a public official. Nessel said he submitted paperwork for when he went to and from his district and got reimbursement for travel expenses even when he was not traveling.

Lee Chatfield has been charged with the following:

• One count of Conducting a Criminal Enterprise, a 20-year felony;

• Four counts of Embezzlement from a Non-Profit Organization, $1,000 to $20,000, a felony punishable by 10 years incarceration and/or a $15,000 fine;

• Three counts of Embezzlement by a Public Officer Over $50, a felony punishable by 10 years incarceration and/or a $5,000 fine;

• One count of Conspiracy to Commit Embezzlement from a Non-Profit Organization, $1,000 to $20,000, a felony punishable by 10 years incarceration and/or a $15,000 fine and an additional $10,000 fine;

• Three counts of Embezzlement, $1,000-$20,000, a felony punishable by 5 years incarceration and/or a $10,000 fine; and

• One count of a Felony Violation of the Charitable Trust Act, a felony punishable by 5 years incarceration and/or a $10,000 fine.

Stephanie Chatfield has been charged with one count each of the following:

• Embezzlement from a Non-Profit Organization, $1,000 to $20,000, a felony punishable by 10 years incarceration and/or a $15,000 fine; and

• Conspiracy to Commit Embezzlement from a Non-Profit Organization, $1,000 to $20,000, a felony punishable by 10 years incarceration and/or a $15,000 fine and an additional $10,000 fine.

In late December the AG charged Chatfield’s former Chief of Staff and his wife with multiple felonies.

The charges, which include running a criminal enterprise, conspiracy to run a criminal enterprise, embezzlement and more, stem from Anne and Robert Minard. The couple operated a consulting firm as well as numerous political nonprofits. The AG alleges the couple ran a complex operation to “financially exploit” those organizations.

Both of them were charged with:

• One count of conducting a criminal enterprise, a 20-year felony

• One count of conspiracy to conduct a criminal conspiracy, a 20-year felony

• Three counts of false pretenses, $1,000 or more but less than $20,000, five-year felonies

• One count of false pretenses, $20,000 or more but less than $50,000, a 15-year felony

• One count embezzlement, $100,000 or more, a 20-year felony

• One count of filing a false tax return, a five-year felony

• Two counts embezzlement, $1,000 or more but less than $20,000 from non-profit or charitable organization, a 10-year felony

• Two counts false pretenses, $1,000 or more but less than $20,000, 5-year felonies

The investigation began after Chatfield’s former sister-in-law Rebekah Chatfield filed a criminal complaint accusing the former Speaker of the House of sexually assaulting her, beginning when she was a student at the small Christian academy run by Chatfield’s father, Rusty; and where Lee worked as a teacher.

Her former husband, Aaron Chatfield, provided additional information about abuses of campaign finance laws by the Speaker’s organizations and funds. Both the sexual assault and campaign finance reports were forwarded to the Michigan State Police for investigation.

Law enforcement searched the couple’s Bath Township home in February of last year.

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