Tipsheet

Prominent Michigan Democrat and Friend of Gretchen Whitmer Indicted on Major Felony Charges

Amy Curtis
Amy Curtis  |  May 08, 2026 7:30 AM

Fay Beydoun, a prominent Michigan Democrat and friend of Governor Gretchen Whitmer, was just indicted on 16 felony charges for allegedly stealing $20 million from the state.

Here's more:

Beydoun has been a prominent figure in Democratic circles for years, contributing tens of thousands of dollars to candidates statewide, including more than $20,000 to Whitmer's campaigns. 

She also hosted a Whitmer fundraiser at her home that raised $13,500. 

Whitmer later appointed her to the executive board of the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC), the state agency focused on economic growth.

...

While serving on the MEDC executive committee, Beydoun obtained a Michigan enhancement grant in 2022 to launch Global Link International, a business accelerator in Oakland County. She was appointed by Whitmer to the board in 2019. MEDC's senior leadership was in charge of approving the grants.

She had previously sought a separate grant for the American Arab Chamber of Commerce, where she served as executive director - and it was the Chamber, according to Michigan journalist and podcast host Charlie LeDuff, that ultimately reported her to authorities.

'Why were there charges? Because the Chamber of Commerce was loud about it. They are very powerful. It's an evenly mixed board, political for sure,' LeDuff said.

'If they weren't complaining, you wouldn't see this,' LeDuff added.

The MEDC was responsible for administering the grant.

According to The Daily Mail, they reached out to Whitmer's office did not respond for their request to comment.

The hubris is incredible.

Hard to argue otherwise.

And they don't care.

As this writer has long argued, most of our deficit would likely disappear if we ended fraud and waste.

Today's "right-wing conspiracy" is tomorrow's headline.

Because saying Medicaid and Social Security — things people rely on — are going broke makes headlines and causes panic. Saying a grant is going away does not. Schools do this all the time by threatening to get rid of music, art, and sports instead of cutting an administrative position or two.