Stephanie Chatfield Pleads Guilty to Nonprofit Embezzlement
Stephanie Chatfield accepted a plea deal with Michigan’s attorney general, pleading guilty to nonprofit embezzlement and avoiding a September trial.
LANSING, MICHIGAN — Stephanie Chatfield, wife of former Michigan House Speaker Lee Chatfield (R-Levering), pleaded guilty Monday to embezzling from a political nonprofit organization formerly controlled by her husband. She accepted a plea agreement with the Michigan Department of Attorney General, avoiding a trial that had been scheduled for September.
Charges Reduced, No Jail Time Under Deal
Under the agreement, the state dropped two felony charges against Stephanie Chatfield: one count of embezzlement and one count of conspiracy to commit embezzlement, according to the Department of Attorney General. She will not face incarceration as part of the deal.
Stephanie Chatfield will serve a term of probation following sentencing. Ingham Circuit Court Judge Morgan Cole did not issue a sentencing decision on Tuesday, and a sentencing hearing has been scheduled for July 20.
Attorney General Responds to the Plea
Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel issued a statement Tuesday condemning the misuse of nonprofit funds by politically connected individuals. “Non-profits and 501(c)4 organizations are meant to support the public welfare and wellbeing, they’re not a personal slush fund for the politically connected,” Nessel said.
“These are strictly regulated accounts and that regulation relies, in-part, on honest operations and truthful financial reporting,” Nessel said. “When public oversight fails to hold their operators accountable to their mission, and their donors, my office will act to maintain the public integrity, including, when necessary, by securing criminal convictions such as this one.”
Allegations Against the Chatfields
Prosecutors alleged that both Lee and Stephanie Chatfield funneled money from their political nonprofit accounts to finance a lavish lifestyle. The couple had both been scheduled to stand trial in September on embezzlement and related charges stemming from their activities involving the nonprofit funds.
Stephanie Chatfield’s guilty plea, first reported by Gongwer News Service, eliminates the need for her to face trial. Lee Chatfield’s legal proceedings remain separate, and it is unclear how his case will proceed following his wife’s plea, according to Michigan Advance.
