Former Michigan House leader Lee Chatfield and his wife were charged with financial crimes, including misusing political funds for personal expenses. Chatfield allegedly used a “slush fund” to pay for travel and other benefits, with his wife monitoring his credit card balance and using cash from the fund to pay it off. The couple’s family members were also involved in the scheme, with Chatfield’s brother cashing a $5,000 check from a political fund and returning $3,500 to the lawmaker for a vacation.
The couple’s various political funds received over $5 million in six years, with more than $2 million coming in 2020, Chatfield’s last year as speaker. Attorney General Dana Nessel described Chatfield as a “prodigious fundraiser” and charged him with 13 counts, including conducting a criminal enterprise and embezzlement. Chatfield’s attorney, Mary Chartier, vowed to fight the charges, questioning the timing of the investigation.
Stephanie Chatfield, Lee Chatfield’s wife, was charged with embezzlement. Nessel highlighted the issue of “dark money” in political funds like the Peninsula Fund, which operated as a tax-exempt organization. She criticized Michigan’s Campaign Finance Act as ineffective in deterring such crimes. Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson called for expanded financial disclosure laws in the state in response to the charges.
The investigation into the Chatfields began in 2022 when Lee Chatfield’s sister-in-law accused him of sexual assault. While there was insufficient evidence to charge him based on those allegations, the case was expanded to include financial crimes. Nessel commended Rebekah Chatfield for coming forward and said the charges against Lee Chatfield underscore the need for anti-corruption laws in Michigan. Two former aides to Chatfield were charged last year with embezzlement from nonprofit funds created for political purposes.
