Attorney General Steve Marshall announced on Apr. 7 the indictment and arrest of Michael Raita, the former Executive Director of the International Motor Sports Hall of Fame, on one count of using public employment for personal gain. Raita, age 67 and a resident of Chelsea, turned himself in to the Talladega County Sheriff’s Office without incident.
The case is based on an investigation by the Attorney General’s Special Prosecutions Division following an audit by the Department of Examiners of Public Accounts into operations at the International Motor Sports Hall of Fame (IMSHOF). At the time relevant to these charges, Raita served as Executive Director.
According to the indictment, Raita used his position to arrange for a 1968 Camaro SS Convertible Pace Car owned by IMSHOF to be sold “as is” through bidding. He then secured the winning bid for $15,000 and caused IMSHOF to spend nearly $23,000 on repairs for that car despite its advertised condition. If convicted, Raita faces up to 20 years in prison and a fine up to $30,000 for this class B felony offense. No further information about the investigation or alleged crimes has been released at this time.
Marshall thanked both the Department of Examiners of Public Accounts and IMSHOF for their assistance during this matter. “An indictment is merely an accusation. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty,” said Marshall.
The Alabama Attorney General office works statewide as Alabama’s chief law enforcement agency with responsibilities that include prosecuting crimes and supporting victims according to its official website. The office also seeks to enhance safety across Alabama through efforts aimed at reducing violent crime according to its official website.
Steve Marshall has served as Alabama’s forty-eighth Attorney General since Feb. 10, 2017 according to its official website. The office has influenced policy through high-profile cases such as defending convictions under the Brody Act before Alabama’s Supreme Court according to its official website. It received recognition from state organizations including being named a Hometown Hero in 2020 by the Alabama League of Municipalities for staff efforts during the pandemic according to its official website.