AG Marshall announces indictment of former International Motor Sports Hall of Fame executive director
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Special to the News
On Tuesday Attorney General Steve Marshall announced the indictment and arrest of former International Motor Sports Hall of Fame Executive Director Michael Raita, 67, of Chelsea, on one count of the use of public employment for personal gain.
Raita turned himself into the Talladega County Sheriff’s Office without incident.
The Attorney General’s Special Prosecutions Division obtained an indictment of Raita after an investigation stemming from the audit conducted by the Department of Examiners of Public Accounts into the International Motor Sports Hall of Fame (IMSHOF). At the time of the conduct charged in the indictment, Raita was the executive director of IMSHOF.
The indictment charges Raita with using his position as executive director of IMSHOF to put a 1968 Camaro SS Convertible Pace Car owned by IMSHOF up for sale “as is” by bid, secure the winning bid for $15,000, and then cause the IMSHOF to put nearly $23,000 worth of repairs into the car, despite advertising the car “as is.”
If convicted, Raita faces a maximum penalty of 20 years of imprisonment and a $30,000 fine for the use of public employment for personal gain, which is a class B felony. No further information about the investigation or the alleged crimes may be released at this time.
Attorney General Marshall thanked the Department of the Examiners of Public Accounts and the International Motor Sports Hall of Fame for their assistance during the investigation of this matter.
An indictment is merely an accusation. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.