LANSING, MI (WKZO AM/FM) – The former Speaker of the Michigan House of Representatives and his wife will now face trial on multiple charges related to the misuse of funds.
35-year-old Lee Chatfield of Levering Friday was bound over to stand trial in Ingham County’s 30th Circuit Court on multiple felony charges for allegedly enriching himself by misusing state, campaign, and non-profit funds.
Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel says Chatfield’s wife, Stephanie Chatfield, was bound over to stand trial on two felony charges.
“Our investigation uncovered extensive evidence of elaborate schemes to embezzle and misappropriate private and public funds to bankroll Lee Chatfield’s lifestyle during his time as Speaker of the House,” Nessel said. “I am glad to see this case finally move forward to a trial in Circuit Court. My office will continue to pursue public corruption with every tool at our disposal and push for stronger transparency and good governance in our state.”
Nessel says Lee Chatfield is alleged to have illegally converted to his own personal use funds from the 501(c)(4) Peninsula Fund, his own electoral political action committees called The Chatfield Majority Fund and The Chatfield Majority Fund 2, and the state budget of the Michigan House of Representatives.
The Attorney General’s office alleges he used non-profit funds to pay off personal credit card expenses, sought improper mileage reimbursements from the House of Representatives for district-to-Lansing travel that never occurred, implemented a check kickback scheme to move PAC money through staff and back to his pocket, and sublet an apartment, paid for by the Peninsula Fund, for his own profit.
A pretrial date has not yet been set.
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