Associates of ex-Michigan House speaker charged with embezzlement; case against Chatfield still open

From Mllive:

Associates of ex-Michigan House speaker charged with embezzlement; case against Chatfield still open

By Jordyn Hermani | jhermani@mlive.com

LANSING, MI — Associates of ex-House Speaker Lee Chatfield, the husband and wife duo of Anné and Rob Minard, are collectively facing more than a dozen felony charges for their alleged roles in misappropriating funds tied to the former lawmaker, Attorney General Dana Nessel announced Thursday.

“These are concrete abuses in black and white – so much so that, in some instances, it’s obvious that they were counting on the fact that no one would ever review it without probable cause,” she said, in announcing the charges Dec. 21.

Anné Minard previously served as a political consultant to Chatfield, while Rob Minard formerly served as Chatfield’s chief of staff. The felony charges announced Thursday are tied to their misappropriation of funds from of various 501(c)4 social welfare organizations, multiple state campaign committees, independent Political Action Committees and a lobbying firm, which Nessel says they “financially exploited or defrauded.”

Together, Nessel said, the pair wrongfully embezzled, misappropriated or wrongfully obtained a sum of at least $525,000 just from the years 2018 to 2020 while also continuing to work both for Chatfield and at the firm they owned, Victor Strategies. Between all the different sources of income, the duo legally made $1.5 million during that time while taking in the more than $500,000 sum illegally, Nessel alleged.

Both Minards have been charged with one count of conducting a criminal enterprise, a 20-year felony; one count of conspiracy to conduct a criminal enterprise, a 20-year felony; three counts of false pretenses for $1,000 or more but not greater than $20,000, each five year felonies; one count of false pretenses for monetary amounts between $20,000 and $50,000, a 15-year felony; one county of embezzlement for $100,000 or more, a 20-year felony, and; one count of filing a false tax return, which is a five year felony.

More:
https://www.mlive.com/politics/2023/12/associates-of-ex-michigan-house-speaker-charged-with-embezzlement-case-against-chatfield-still-open.html