Overview
- Michael Raita, 67, turned himself in Thursday, April 2, after a Talladega County grand jury charged him with using his office for personal gain.
- Former accounts manager Karen Renae Lakey was arrested on a grand jury charge of using her employment for personal gain and held on a $25,000 bond.
- A state audit covering 2019–2024 tied more than $236,000 in questioned or unsupported transactions to Lakey, including payments to unrelated creditors, spending that benefited family members, excess pay, and missing cash.
- Investigators say Raita arranged museum vehicle deals for his household, including a 1968 Camaro bought for $15,000 after roughly $23,000 in repairs charged to the Hall and a 1998 Ford F-150 purchased for $1,000.
- Gov. Kay Ivey replaced the Hall of Fame commission after the audit, the Attorney General is now pursuing the cases, and Raita’s lawyer says he will plead not guilty.