Michigan State Police, FBI raid former chief of staff to Lee Chatfield
BATH TOWNSHIP, Mich. (WILX) - The home of Rob and Anne Minard was raided by authorities Tuesday morning.
Original Story: Police search home of Lee Chatfield’s former Chief of Staff
The two are close associates of former Michigan House Speaker Lee Chatfield, who is under investigation for allegedly sexually abusing a teen girl for years. Chatfield said it was a consensual affair that started when she was an adult.
Attorney General Dana Nessel said the search of the Minards’ home was a part of a State Police investigation, but did not share what the investigation is about.
Residents in the area were surprised to see several police cruisers and officers from different agencies arrive at the home at about 7:30 a.m.
Related: Michigan House Democrats call for investigation into Lee Chatfield
Several MSP troopers and FBI agents raided the Bath Township home. Rob and Anne Minard had worked for Chatfield in 2019-20. Rob Minard was Chatfield’s Chief of Staff.
Police did not say what they were looking for. They were at the home for four hours, carrying boxes and bags of files and documents from the home.
Anne Minard was seen leaving with officers in an unmarked vehicle about 30 minutes after they arrived. It’s believed she is cooperating with the investigation.
She told a neighbor she and her husband own a consulting firm and spend time working in Washington, DC. According to Minard’s LinkedIn profile, she is the president of Victor Strategies, which -- according to the Detroit News -- handled the Peninsula Fund. Chatfield paid that fund nearly $500,000 while the Minards worked for him.
Neighbors said they aren’t too worried about crime.
“It doesn’t really concern me that much,” said Luis Meeks. “If there was a CFO next door to me that ran a company and perhaps was accused of embezzling money from his company, I don’t think that extends to what is happening in the neighborhood.
Meeks lives down the street from the Minards. He said that while he doesn’t know them very well, he’s surprised to see they’re a part of a criminal investigation.
“Occasionally, summer time or spring time, they’d be out walking and saying hello,” Meeks said. “Very neghborly people, very nice people.”
News 10 reached out to Nessel’s office to see if the Minards are in police custody. A spokesperson only said that they are working an investigation with police.
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