Now that Stephanie Chatfield has taken a plea agreement, all eyes turn to her husband, former House Speaker Lee Chatfield, who claims his wife’s plea doesn’t change anything in the status of his upcoming trial.

Stephanie Chatfield pleaded guilty Tuesday to embezzlement from a nonprofit organization in the amount of $200 to $1,000. Stephanie Chatfield was tight-lipped about her deal with the state. She answered “yes” when the judge asked her questions but made no other statement in court. Neither she nor legal team commented after the hearing at the Ingham Circuit Court.

Stephanie Chatfield will see the two other felony charges for embezzlement and conspiracy to commit embezzlement dismissed and will face no jail time under the agreement following successful completion of a term of probation ordered by the court.

To questions on how the agreement affects Lee Chatfield’s case, Mary Chartier, his attorney, said in a statement that “the plea agreement between Mrs. Chatfield and the Attorney General appears to be a thoughtful and reasonable one based on the facts and circumstances of the case, but it has no impact on Mr. Chatfield’s case,” and that they are still getting ready for trial.

Lee Chatfield’s trial date has been repeatedly rescheduled. A new trial date has not yet been set. The next scheduled court date in his case is a motion hearing on July 22.

No restitution from Stephanie Chatfield will likely be ordered as the Peninsula Fund, the nonprofit from which the funds were embezzled, is now defunct.

The charge to which she pleaded guilty is a felony punishable by up to five years in prison, $15,000 or three times the amount embezzled, whichever is greater, or both.

“Non-profits and 501(c)4 organizations are meant to support the public welfare and wellbeing, they’re not a personal slush fund for the politically connected,” Attorney General Dana Nessel said in a statement following the agreement. “These are strictly regulated accounts and that regulation relies, in-part, on honest operations and truthful financial reporting. When public oversight fails to hold their operators accountable to their mission, and their donors, my office will act to maintain the public integrity, including, when necessary, by securing criminal convictions such as this one.”

The plea agreement states Stephanie Chatfield committed embezzlement as an employee of the Peninsula Fund.

The alleged embezzlement from the Peninsula Fund included paying off personal credit card expenses, seeking improper mileage reimbursements from the House for trips that never happened, implementing a check kickback scheme to move PAC money back to Lee Chatfield for his own use, and subletting an apartment.

When the Department of Attorney General charged her, Nessel said Stephanie Chatfield was aware of and monitored those transfers with the aim of assisting the conspiracy, which further enriched the Chatfield family and friends.

Stephanie Chatfield will be sentenced by Judge Morgan Cole on July 20.

The charges were first brought in April 2024 and both Chatfields were bound over to stand trial in May 2025, her guilty plea ending an over two-year legal drama.