Sister-in-law testifies as preliminary exam for ex-Speaker Lee Chatfield continues

Yahoo

27-02-2025

EAST LANSING – Rebekah Chatfield, the sister-in-law of former House Speaker Lee Chatfield who came forward with allegations of sexual assault against him in 2021 that never lead to charges, took the stand Thursday as the preliminary examination hearing over his felony financial charges continued.
Government prosecutors have charged Lee Chatfield with 13 embezzlement, conspiracy and larceny charges in 54B District Court in East Lansing. The government alleges Lee Chatfield improperly used public funds and private money raised through political nonprofits to pay for flights, meals at upscale restaurants and family vacations while he was in office. Lee Chatfield's wife, Stephanie Chatfield, also faces one count each of embezzlement and conspiracy.
Lee Chatfield and Stephanie Chatfield have both pleaded not guilty to all charges. The most serious charge Lee Chatfield faces carries a maximum 20-year prison sentence, if convicted. Stephanie Chatfield's charges each carry a maximum sentence of ten years in prison, if convicted.
A Republican from Levering in the northern part of the Lower Peninsula, Lee Chatfield held the most powerful position in the Michigan House of Representatives in 2019 and 2020, when he was House Speaker.
Rebekah Chatfield was previously married to Aaron Chatfield, Lee Chatfield's brother, according to filings made in court by government prosecutors. She said Thursday the two were "legally separated." Her testimony was focused on Aaron Chatfield's role in his brother's political work, noting 'he would basically be Lee's assistant.' She said that she reported misuse of funds to Lansing police when she came forward with the sexual assault allegations.
'I was a victim of a crime,' Rebekah Chatfield said, explaining why she first came forward to police.
During Rebekah Chatfield's testimony, Lee Chatfield watched on from his seat at the defense table without expression, seated next to Stephanie Chatfield.
Government prosecutors have alleged that Lee Chatfield wrongly sought reimbursements from a political nonprofit, the Peninsula Fund, for reasons not related to the nonprofit's stated goal. In one court filing, the government alleges that Lee Chatfield used Peninsula Fund money to pay off a $132,000 credit card balance, including for charges 'clearly personal in nature.'
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Rebekah Chatfield testified she would occasionally cash and deposit checks paid to Aaron Chatfield, ranging between $2,000 to $5,000, where portions of the money would return to Lee Chatfield.
'Lee would keep appearing to go on a trip ... part of the money would go back to Lee for the trip,' Rebekah Chatfield testified. 'From my remembrance, the only money we would give back to him (was) for his personal use.'
During cross examination, Lee Chatfield's defense attorney, Mary Chartier, asked Rebekah Chatfield about her interactions with Anne Minard. Anne Minard is a former Chatfield aide who faces felony financial charges and whose husband, Rob Minard, a former aide of Lee Chatfield, also faces financial charges.
Rebekah Chatfield testified that Anne Minard controlled the money involved with the Peninsula Fund and another account, the Chatfield Majority Fund.
Since the preliminary exam began Wednesday, defense attorneys have argued Anne Minard and other individuals overseeing entities which reimbursed Lee Chatfield were responsible for how the funds' money was spent.
The investigation into how the funds were spent occurred after Rebekah Chatfield, in Dec. 2021, told Lansing Police that Lee Chatfield had sexually assaulted her, dating back to when she was 15 years old and a student at the northern Michigan Christian school Lee Chatfield taught at. Rebekah Chatfield's allegations sparked an investigation, which resulted in Attorney General Dana Nessel charging Lee Chatfield with 13 embezzlement, conspiracy and larceny charges in 54B District Court in East Lansing.
When Nessel announced the financial charges against Lee Chatfield in April, she said an investigation into the sexual assault allegations was closed without charges.
Lee Chatfield's attorney, Chartier, has long denied the sexual assault allegations. She previously said a long-standing consensual affair took place between Lee Chatfield and Rebekah Chatfield when both were adults, but denied any crimes were committed.
During Thursday's hearing, prosecutors also called Wilbur Lovitt, a longtime friend of the Chatfield family who worked on Lee Chatfield's election campaigns.
Chris Kessel, an assistant attorney general, questioned Lovitt about a $5,000 check paid to him in 2018. Lovitt testified he would accompany Lee Chatfield and his brothers on trips, including to a December 2018 trip to the Bahamas.
The check paid to Lovitt was labeled 'wages' and paid by the Chatfield Majority Fund, a political action committee tied to Lee Chatfield. Lovitt testified that he gave some of the money from the check to Lee Chatfield during the trip, including to tip workers who provided bottle service to the group when they went to a club. Lovitt also said he gave money to Lee Chatfield to play cards at the casino at the resort they were staying at.
Government prosecutors say the check was given to Lovitt with the knowledge that some of the money would be returned to Lee Chatfield. But defense attorneys argued that Lovitt, who said he's been friends with the Chatfield family since the third grade, was just spotting Lee Chatfield with cash when he needed it. Marisa Vinsky, an attorney with Chartier and Nyamfukudza law firm, asked Lovitt if he felt he had to give Lee Chatfield the cash during the trip.
'Had to? No,' Lovitt testified.
Paul Chatfield, one of Lee Chatfield's brothers, also testified briefly Thursday morning. Kessel, the government attorney, asked him about a $5,000 check he received from the Chatfield Majority Fund in November 2020. Paul Chatfield testified he gave $1,000 from that check back to Lee Chatfield.
Paul Chatfield worked on his brother's various election campaigns, starting back in 2014. He told Vinsky the first campaign particularly involved a lot of work.
'It was rare if we did not do a 12-hour day. I would be in the car from as soon as I could hit the first door to the last door," Paul Chatfield said.
He also recalled being mistaken for his brother at some campaign events, which drew a smile from Lee Chatfield at the defense table.
'I got a lot of handshakes and a lot of boos," Paul Chatfield said.
The preliminary exam is expected to continue through Friday. After the conclusion of the hearing, District Judge Molly Hennessey Greenwalt will determine whether there is enough evidence to send the case to a jury trial.
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This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Checks, Bahamas trip come into question as Chatfield hearing continues