Ex-House Speaker’s Wife Admits To Embezzling From Political Fund

(Source: MIRS.news, Published 06/16/2026) Stephanie Chatfield, the wife of former House Speaker Lee Chatfield, finalized a plea agreement that could leave her with no criminal conviction.

Former House Speaker Lee Chatfield, left, and his wife, Stephanie Chatfield, entered an Ingham County courtroom on June 16, 2026, where Stephanie Chatfield pleaded guilty to helping her husband “fraudulently obtain funds” from his now defunct political fund. Also pictured is defense attorney Daniel Sturdevant. (Photo: MIRS)

The 38-year-old teacher stood quietly before Ingham County Circuit Court Judge Morgan Cole, replying, “Yes” when her attorney asked if she embezzled at least $200 but less than $1,000 by assisting her husband from February 2020 to April 2021, “to fraudulently obtain funds that belonged to the Peninsula Fund for an improper purpose,” which was reimbursement for personal expenses.

“Do you agree that it was your intent to dishonestly dispose of those monies for personal use to defraud the fund?” asked defense attorney Daniel Sturdevant of the Lansing-based Sturdevant Law.

“Yes,” she replied.

Under the agreement, Chatfield pleaded guilty to a five-year felony, though the conviction could be dismissed if she successfully completes a term of probation, which the judge will set at a July 20 sentencing hearing.

The agreement calls for the original charges of embezzlement of up to $20,000 from a nonprofit and conspiracy to embezzle, which are 10-year felonies, to be dismissed.

If Cole determines that jail time is necessary, she will have an opportunity to withdraw her plea.

Lee Chatfield was with his wife in court, and his attorney, Mary Chartier, entered a closed-door meeting with the judge, the prosecution and his wife’s attorney. However, nothing was put on the record in open court related to his case.

After the plea hearing, the Chatfield couple, Chartier and Sturdevant declined to comment.

Lee Chatfield – who raised millions while leading the state House from 2019 through 2020 – faces 13 felony counts, including conducting a criminal enterprise, which carries a penalty of up to 20 years in prison. His case is tentatively set for trial in September.

Attorney General Dana Nessel unveiled the charges in April 2024, alleging Lee Chatfield (R-Levering) illegally converted funds from the 501(c)(4) Peninsula Fund and his electoral political action committees, The Chatfield Majority Fund and The Chatfield Majority Fund II, to pay off his personal credit card and fund purchases at wineries and luxury retail stores while he was speaker.

The money also went to haircuts, car washes, dry cleaning and a Florida vacation, according to testimony at a preliminary examination.

“Non-profits and 501(c)4 organizations are meant to support 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 on, in part, honest operations and truthful financial reporting."

“When public oversight fails to hold their operators accountable to their mission, and their donors, my office will act to maintain public integrity, including, when necessary, by securing criminal convictions such as this one,” she added.

The investigation began after Lee Chatfield’s sister-in-law, Rebekah Chatfield, alleged in 2021 that he had sexually abused her when she attended his family’s school.

Lee Chatfield admitted he had an affair with his sister-in-law, but he denied sexually abusing her. The AG’s office did not charge Lee Chatfield related to the sister-in-law’s allegations.

However, in addition to the Chatfield couple, the attorney general's office charged Lee Chatfield’s top staffers, Anné Minard and Robert Minard, for allegedly stealing more than $600,000 from political fundraising accounts.

The Minard couple was sentenced in 2025 to three years’ probation, while a six-month jail sentence was held in abeyance. Under the agreement, the jail terms would be invoked only if the Minard couple is unsuccessful on probation.