By Attorney General Dana Nessel
LANSING – Today, Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel announced 16 felony charges against Fay Beydoun, 62, of Farmington Hills, for the alleged theft of funds and fraudulent administration of a $20 million state legislative grant awarded to Global Link International, a company created and controlled by Beydoun. Beydoun allegedly used appropriated funds for her own personal use and enrichment, repeatedly lied to the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) about expenses contrary to the purpose of the grant and activities of the business accelerator, and did each of these to further a criminal enterprise for her own financial gain.
Beydoun has been charged in the 47th District Court in Farmington Hills. The Attorney General’s investigation into Global Link International’s funding and administration remains ongoing.
“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,” said Attorney General Nessel. “The process by which this ‘grant’ was proposed, developed, awarded, and administered bears practically zero semblance to the traditional grant process, and was only made possible through a system that pairs political cronyism with minimal oversight.”
“Since the enactment of the Global Link grant, some significant reforms have been enacted by the Legislature,” continued Nessel. “These reforms are meaningful, but with millions of dollars in public funding at hand, the State and each of its agencies must do more to prevent abuses of state funds and to require responsible administration of enhancement grants — regardless of whether their recipients enjoy positions of power, privilege, and political connections.”
Beydoun has been charged (PDF) with the following:
- One count of Conducting a Criminal Enterprise, a 20-year felony;
- Seven counts of Uttering and Publishing, a 14-year felony;
- One count of Forgery, a 14-year felony;
- One count of Larceny by Conversion, more than $20,000, a 10-year felony; and
- Six counts of Larceny by Conversion, $1,000 to $20,000, a 5-year felony.
Beydoun secured a “Michigan enhancement grant” within Public Act 166 of 2022, a law to generally fund the State of Michigan in Fiscal Year 2023, to establish and operate a global business accelerator in Oakland County. The grant was to be administered by the MEDC. At the time she secured the grant, Beydoun served on the MEDC Executive Committee. It is alleged that no business relocated to Michigan through Global Link International efforts. Instead, Beydoun is accused of using the funds for personal gain and maintaining a $550,000 annual salary.
It is alleged that Beydoun:
- Forged an invoice from a law firm, produced that false record to the MEDC for purposes of grant administration, misrepresented the expense to the MEDC, and expended funds in association with that invoice on personal legal expenses not related to the purpose of Global Link International’s state funding;
- Presented a false description of a $40,800 lease to the MEDC;
- Fraudulently presented a French-language receipt for the purchase of two handmade Tunisian rugs, at a cost of more than $6,000, to the MEDC as representing funds paid to host an investors event abroad;
- Fraudulently presented to the MEDC that catering costs between $1,000 and $2,000 incurred on two separate occasions in 2023 were in support of Global Link events or to host focus groups, when in each instance the costs were incurred by Beydoun personally to host two separate dinners associated with then-Mayor of Detroit Mike Duggan at her home in Farmington Hills;
- Used grant funds for two separate personal expenses, one totaling more than $5,000 to Royce Lighting for furniture and home decor and another to an Ace Hardware store for patio and gardening supplies totaling more than $1,400; and
- Submitted materially false reports to the MEDC to forestall grant termination and continue drawing her salary.
The Department of Attorney General opened an investigation into the Global Link International legislative grant in 2024. The state grant to Global Link International was terminated by the MEDC on March 18th, 2025, following reports of financial irregularities. In September 2025, the Department of Attorney General froze more than $6.3 million in grant funds held in bank accounts connected to Beydoun.
The sworn affidavit in support of the criminal charges filed against Beydoun can be found here (PDF).
An arraignment date has not yet been set.