LANSING, Mich. – Public corruption charges have been announced against a high-powered couple in Lansing.
Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel announced the charges against Rob and Anne Minard and claimed they were running a criminal enterprise and illegally bringing in hundreds of thousands of dollars.
The two are close associates of former Michigan House Speaker Lee Chatfield and had worked for him in 2019-20. They also ran a political consulting firm called Victor Strategies. Nessel said they used their positions to exploit nonprofits, advocacy groups and others to enrich themselves.
They reportedly illegally made $525,000 in the years between 2018 and 2020.
“We allege that the Minards financially exploited and/or defrauded these entities through a sophisticated pattern of improper reimbursements, double billing, misrepresenting expenses and falsifying records,” Nessel said.
They have each been charged with the following felonies:
- One count of conducting a criminal enterprise
- One count of conspiracy to conduct a criminal enterprise,
- Three counts of false pretenses -- $1,000 or more but less than $20,000
- One count of false pretenses -- $20,000 or more but less than $50,000
- One count of embezzlement -- $100,000.00 or more
- One count of filing a false tax return
Anne Minard has also been charged with two counts of embezzlement -- $1,000 or more but less than $20,000 from a nonprofit or charitable organization and two counts of false pretenses -- $1,000 or more but less than $20,000.
Rob Minard has also been charged with one count of false pretenses -- $1,000 or more but less than $20,000.
The charges against Rob and Anne Minard stemmed from an ongoing investigation of Chatfield.
The Minard’s home in Bath Township was raided by Michigan State Police and FBI in February 2022.
Nessel said the investigation is ongoing and more charges are possible.
