Farmington Hills, Michigan – Fay Beydoun, a prominent Michigan businesswoman and appointee to the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) Executive Committee, has been charged with 16 felonies related to the alleged theft and fraudulent administration of a $20 million state legislative grant. Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel announced the charges on May 6, 2026, stemming from an investigation into Global Link International, a company Beydoun created and controlled, which was intended to operate as a global business accelerator in Oakland County. Beydoun is accused of misusing the grant funds for personal enrichment and repeatedly providing false information to the MEDC.
The charges against Beydoun, 62, include one count of conducting a criminal enterprise, seven counts of uttering and publishing, one count of forgery, and multiple counts of larceny by conversion. Attorney General Nessel stated, "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." The Attorney General criticized the grant process as being characterized by "political cronyism with minimal oversight."
Allegations detail a pattern of personal expenditures disguised as business expenses. Beydoun is accused of maintaining a $550,000 annual salary from the grant funds. The Michigan GOP highlighted several specific alleged misuses in a recent tweet, stating, "> $500,000+ salary for herself. > $4,500 for a coffee maker. > $11,000 first-class plane ticket. > $6,148 on two handmade rugs from Tunisia. > $11,325 on a forged legal invoice." Other alleged misuses include over $5,000 for lighting and furniture, and more than $1,400 for patio and gardening supplies.
The grant, secured by Beydoun in 2022 while serving on the MEDC Executive Committee, was part of Public Act 166 of 2022. Investigators allege that no businesses were successfully relocated to Michigan through Global Link International's efforts. The investigation by the Department of Attorney General began in 2024, leading to the termination of the grant by the MEDC in March 2025 and the freezing of over $6.3 million in grant funds in September 2025.
Beydoun, a known Democratic donor, was arraigned on May 6, 2026, in the 47th District Court in Farmington Hills, where she pleaded not guilty. She was released on a $50,000 personal recognizance bond and ordered to surrender her passport. The case has also drawn political attention, with the Michigan GOP calling for Democratic politicians who received donations from Beydoun to return the funds, suggesting they may be "potentially connected to this fraudulent scheme."
