Another former aide to ex-Michigan House Speaker Lee Chatfield has agreed to testify against him as part of a plea deal.
As part of the agreement, Rob Minard, 49, of Bath Township, pleaded guilty to one count of larceny by false pretenses ($20,000 or more but less than $50,000) for stealing money from Working Together for a Better Michigan, an independent political action committee, and the political candidates the organization was supposed to be helping. He also pleaded guilty to one count of filing a false tax return.
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Rob was charged in December 2024 for his part in “misappropriating funds” from three nonprofits and two political action committees that were tied to Chatfield," according to a release from Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel’s Office.
He appeared in the 30th Circuit Court before Judge James Jamo on Thursday, Nov. 6, 2025, for the plea hearing.
The former aide agreed to testify against Chatfield at his trial and must pay full restitution to the Michigan Department of Treasury.
His sentencing is scheduled for Dec. 17.
In October, Rob’s wife, Anne Minard, 38, also took a plea deal, agreed to testify against Chatfield, and was ordered to pay restitution.
As part of that agreement, she pleaded guilty to filing a false tax return and embezzlement ($1,000 or more but less than $20,000 from a nonprofit or charitable organization), in connection with embezzling from the Peninsula Fund.
Her sentencing is scheduled for Dec. 2.
Chatfield, who was the House Speaker in 2019 and 2020, was charged in April 2024 with 13 felonies for the alleged “rampant and flagrant” misuse of nonprofit funds.
He pleaded not guilty and was bound over to a higher court for trial in May 2025. Chatfield’s wife, Stephanie Chatfield, was also bound over on charges in the corruption case. They are both expected to stand trial next year.
The investigation into Chatfield began in January 2022 when his sister-in-law accused him of sexually assaulting her.
Chatfield denied the allegations, saying that their relationship was consensual. Nessel said there wasn’t sufficient evidence to issue charges for the alleged sexual assault.
Nessel said the investigation had expanded from abuse allegations to financial crimes by the time the case came to her office.