A former Michigan state employee has been nailed by a Wayne County jury for embezzling over $47,000 through personal joyrides in state vehicles, the office of Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel announced. Rufus Chappell, 64, of Farmington Hills, faced the heat on Thursday for misappropriating state resources over three and a half years for personal trips, including weekends and holidays.
The ex-unemployment examiner, who once served the state for four decades, could be spending up to 10 years behind bars following his conviction on one felony count of embezzlement between $20,000 to $50,000. Through thorough digging into vehicle use records, it was revealed that Chappell's personal escapades in the automobiles and mileage fees from August 2015 to January 2019 added up to $47,214.85, according to The Detroit News.
The discovery of Chappell's misuse of state property was kicked off after the state became aware his driver’s license had been suspended, the attorney general's office stated. “This verdict sends a clear message that stealing from the State, and thereby the taxpayers, will not be tolerated,” Nessel said in a statement obtained by The Detroit News. Meanwhile, Chappell's attorney, Arni Chambers, painted a different picture, saying his client maintained he had no intent to defraud and had worked "diligently" for the state.
As swiftly as justice swung its gavel, the Michigan Department of Attorney General pledged to continue its vigilance. "We won’t waver from our mission to serve Michigan’s residents with integrity and we will aggressively go after anyone who breaks the law while working for the agency,” UIA Director Julia Dale affirmed, as detailed by an official press release. Chappell is set for sentencing on May 17 before Judge Mariam Bazzi in the Wayne County Circuit Court.
