Senate Minority Leader Aric Nesbitt sent a letter Monday to the U.S. Department of Justice demanding a federal investigation into Gov. Gretchen Whitmer's connections to a metro Detroit businesswoman facing 16 felony charges for allegedly misusing a $20 million state grant.

The request puts the governor at the center of a widening political firestorm that could reshape the 2026 gubernatorial race and affect voters across Warren and the broader metro Detroit area.

The Beydoun Charges

Fay Beydoun, 62, a longtime Whitmer supporter and campaign donor, faces felony charges including criminal enterprise, forgery, and multiple counts of larceny by conversion. According to Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel, Beydoun allegedly used taxpayer funds intended for an Oakland County business accelerator for personal enrichment.

"Today, we allege Fay Beydoun sought and received a $20 million 'Michigan enhancement grant' from the state legislature, operated a criminal enterprise to use those funds for personal expenses and her own enrichment, and lied repeatedly when reporting how she used those funds," Nessel said in a statement.

Prosecutors allege Beydoun used grant money for:

  • Home decor and gardening supplies
  • Catered dinners at her home, some connected to then-Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan
  • Handmade Tunisian rugs totaling more than $6,000, claimed as expenses for an overseas investor event
  • Personal legal expenses submitted through a forged law firm invoice
  • Furniture and patio supplies

Beydoun maintained a $550,000 annual salary from grant funds, according to the attorney general's office. Investigators found that no businesses ultimately relocated to Michigan through Global Link International, the nonprofit Beydoun incorporated just days before securing the grant.

Nesbitt's Federal Push

Nesbitt, a Republican candidate for governor representing Porter Township, addressed his letter to acting U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche. He questioned whether Attorney General Dana Nessel could conduct an impartial investigation given her "well-documented personal friendship and political alliance" with Whitmer.

"Michigan deserves a governor who works for everyone in this state, not favored cronies who fund her lifestyle and campaigns," Nesbitt said in a statement. "Let me be clear: if the governor is found complicit in this scheme to rob taxpayers, she must be held accountable under the law."

Nessel's office pushed back. Spokesperson Danny Wimmer told Michigan Advance that the attorney general "has investigated people affiliated with both the Democratic and Republican parties alike, with no political favor."

"This investigation remains ongoing, and will continue in earnest as directed by evidence – not politics," Wimmer said.

The Grant's Political Paper Trail

The grant was approved through Public Act 166 of 2022. It was sponsored by former House Speaker Jason Wentworth (R-Farwell), a Republican. Beydoun served on the executive committee of the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC), the agency that administered the grant.

The Michigan Democratic Party accused Nesbitt of attempting to "manufacture outrage." Party spokesperson Derrick Honeyman pointed to Republican responsibility for the grant's passage.

"Former House Republican Speaker Jason Wentworth sponsored this earmark – and it passed under House Republicans," Honeyman said. "Michigan Republicans have been at the center of several criminal investigations for stealing taxpayer money."

Wentworth's attorney, Brian Lennon, told The Detroit News that the former speaker has provided his "complete cooperation" to the investigation.

What Remains Under Investigation

Nessel announced that Quentin Messer, President and CEO of the MEDC, remains a potential target of the investigation. The attorney general's office froze more than $6.3 million in grant funds connected to Beydoun in September 2025. The MEDC terminated Global Link International's grant in March 2025 following reports of financial irregularities.

State Rep. Jim DeSana (R-Carleton) called the indictment "one of the most egregious examples of government corruption in Michigan history" and renewed his calls to dismantle the MEDC.

"Our political process has become so broken and so focused on trading favors for personal gain, and this is the best example yet," DeSana said.

Whitmer's office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

An arraignment date for Beydoun has not been scheduled.