EAST LANSING, MI – Ex-House Speaker Lee Chatfield is undergoing a three-day preliminary examination on allegations he and others used fund-raising dollars for personal expenses.
The hearing began Wednesday, Feb. 26, in East Lansing District Court where Judge Molly Hennessy Greenwalt will decide if Chatfield should stand trial in Ingham County Circuit Court on 13 felonies alleging financial crimes.
His wife, Stephanie, faces two charges. They were charged last spring.
Related: Former Michigan House speaker, wife deny embezzlement charges
The state contends they used private and public money to fund a lavish lifestyle, which allegedly included a $32,000 vacation to the Bahamas, a family trip to Universal Studios in Florida and paying off a $132,000 credit-card balance.
Chatfield raised and used funds through a nonprofit “dark money” organization, Peninsula Fund, state Attorney General Dana Nessel’s office says.
According to Detroit News’ Craig Mauger on X, a witness testified about “questionable” expenses and said that Chatfield rented a Lansing apartment using nonprofit money from secret donors, subleased it and kept the money.
Chatfield, R-Levering, was House speaker in 2019-2020. He served in the House from 2015-2020.
Prosecutors say his wife used Peninsula Fund money to make payments on personal credit cards.
Chatfield’s attorney, Mary Chartier, told MLive earlier: “We are prepared to fight them each and every step of the way.”
Lee Chatfield is charged with four counts of embezzlement from a nonprofit, three counts of embezzlement by a public officer over $50, three counts of embezzlement, conducting a criminal enterprise, conspiracy to embezzle from a nonprofit, and violating the Charitable Trust Act.
Stephanie Chatfield faces single counts of embezzlement from a nonprofit and conspiracy to commit embezzlement from a nonprofit.