University of Michigan spent over $1 million in secret probe of former CFO

Sarah Atwood, The Detroit News on Sep 14, 2026

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DETROIT — The University of Michigan spent over $1 million for legal services in connection with the internal investigation of a former university executive, according to documents released to The Detroit News through an open records request.

Five invoices spanning from Sept. 19, 2025, to Dec. 3, 2025, showed the university paid the New York-based law firm Patterson Belknap about $1.3 million for five months of work that began in July 2025.

Previous documents released to The News showed the university hired the firm to represent the university in its internal investigation of former CFO Geoffrey Chatas, according to a letter of engagement between the university and the firm.

No findings or disciplinary action were recorded in Chatas' personnel file. A request for the findings of the investigation was denied, with the university citing "attorney-client privilege."

Paul Corliss, UM's assistant vice president for public affairs and communications, declined to say whether the investigation focused solely on Chatas or whether others were also investigated. He also declined to comment on the investigation's findings or the amount paid to the law firm. Chatas hasn't responded to messages left at Yale University, where he has been the senior vice president for operations since November 2025.

While the university hasn't released a statement on Chatas or the investigation that occured during his final months at the university, university officials appeared happy with the work he was doing, his personnel file documents showed.

On Sept. 22, 2025, President Domenico Grasso increased Chatas' salary to $886,954, which reflected a merit increase of 3%, a letter in his personnel file showed.

"It has been a pleasure working with you, and I look forward to another productive and enjoyable year ahead,collaborating with you to ensure the success of the University!" Grasso wrote to Chatas. "Keep up the great work!"

Weeks later, on Oct. 9, 2025, Chatas submitted his resignation letter. In the letter, Chatas wrote he was accepting the role of chief operating officer at Yale University.

Before Michigan, Chatas had been the chief operating officer at Georgetown University and the chief financial officer at The Ohio State University.

This is the latest example of UM, a public university, paying a law firm a substantial amount of money for an investigation only to claim attorney-client privilege as a reason not to release the firm's findings. A $12 million investigation into the University of Michigan's athletic department produced no actual report amid findings that revealed the institution failed to be transparent and accountable.

Instead, the university released a university-written summary of the findings from Jenner & Block, the law firm that conducted the investigation.

The university summary talked in general terms about the weaknesses and issues it found in the Athletic Department's oversight and didn't cite any details touching particular scandals — such as football coach Sherrone Moore's firing and inappropriate relationship with a subordinate. The university declined to answer further questions about the findings or how they were released.

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