LANSING — Robert Minard, 48 and Anné Minard, 38, both of Bath Township, were sentenced today by Judge James Jamo to a 6-month delayed sentence and 36 months of probation for felony charges related to misappropriating funds.
The couple pled guilty to two felony charges each as part of a plea agreement and are required to pay full restitution to the Michigan Department of Treasury.
The Minards were charged in December 2023 with multiple felonies, including conducting a criminal enterprise, for allegedly misappropriating funds from three non-profit organizations and two political action committees linked to former Speaker of the House Lee Chatfield.
Robert Minard pled guilty in November to one count of larceny by false pretenses involving $20,000 to $50,000 and one count of filing a false tax return. Anné Minard pled guilty in October to one count of embezzlement involving $1,000 to $20,000 and one count of filing a false tax return.
As a condition of their plea agreements, both Minards have agreed to provide truthful testimony in future hearings. This agreement is a common legal approach aimed at ensuring cooperation with ongoing investigations.
The charges against the Minards stem from their roles in allegedly siphoning funds that should have been allocated to political candidates and charitable organizations, raising significant concerns about the misuse of funds in the political and non-profit sectors.
The court ordered the Minards to fulfill their probation conditions while making arrangements to pay restitution. Their testimony is anticipated in future related hearings to aid further investigations into the misuse of funds.