BAY CITY, Mich. – A Bay County man has pleaded guilty to defrauding two nonprofits of more than $750,000.
From 2020 to 2023, Michael Bacigalupo served as the executive director of both the Bay City State Theatre and the Bay City Historical Society. He was also the former director of the Bay City Downtown Development Authority.
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According to authorities, Bacigalupo used his leadership roles to fraudulently obtain and divert over $750,000 intended for mission-essential needs. Instead, he used the money to pay for renovations to a public bandshell in Bay City.
As a result of Bacigalupo’s actions, the Bay City State Theatre defaulted on a private loan he had secured using the theatre itself. This forced the theatre to declare bankruptcy in 2024.
Additionally, Bacigalupo’s misappropriation of funds from the Bay City Historical Society prevented the organization from completing major renovations to its building and museum.
He reportedly made numerous false statements to the impacted organizations and supported his lies with fake board minutes, third-party invoices and QuickBooks entries.
To replace the diverted funds, Bacigalupo sought and secured a $900,000 federal grant under false pretenses. However, the fraud was uncovered before the federal money was disbursed.
On Tuesday, Sept. 23, Bacigalupo pleaded guilty to wire fraud.