IONIA TOWNSHIP, Mich. — A woman who served as treasurer in Ionia Township for more than a decade now faces federal charges alleging she used hundreds of thousands of taxpayer funds to pay off her personal credit card bills and build a vacation home.
On Tuesday, federal prosecutors filed a criminal case against Marilyn Harp. From 2014 to 2025, Harp allegedly wrote more than 80 fraudulent checks from the township's account to cover her personal expenses, said investigators.
WATCH: Former Ionia Township Treasurer accused of using taxpayer funds to pay for credit card bills and vacation home
The former treasurer falsely claimed on checks the payments were for legitimate township business, claimed prosecutors. At the time, Harp was the only person on the account who could withdraw funds, according to the indictment.
In one example cited by investigators, Harp wrote a check in December, 2022 for more than $25,000, claiming it was for "Corelogic," but prosecutors said the money instead went to pay down the balance on her personal credit card.
The account, held at Mercantile Bank, was specifically for depositing tax payments into. The township board instructed Harp to quickly move funds from that account to others that supported the township's operations, with the expectation the tax account would rarely have a large balance, the indictment explained.
During her 11 years in office, Harp allegedly withdrew more than $747,000 for her own personal expenses.
In 2024, township officials began to question some of the expense items filed by Harp, with the Board of Trustees adding the township clerk to the account and requiring both Harp and the clerk to sign any checks, according to meeting minutes. With the added scrutiny, Harp destroyed records that could have proven her fraud and created false documents to make the expenses seem legitimate, said prosecutors.
Then during a special meeting on July 20, 2025, trustees accepted Harp's resignation and appointed a new treasurer.
Federal agents seized funds from two accounts in Harp's name as part of the investigation. Prosecutors said in court records they are seeking restoration of $747,025.27 in taxpayer funds.
“It makes me mad but we’ll just see what the courts do," Ionia Township neighbor Tim Tindall said, "Hopefully they’ll come out and get some of that money back and give it back to the township.”
Ionia Township Clerk Sheri Lynn said in a statement to FOX 17, "There was a federal investigation. We are not able to comment due to the ongoing court case."
FOX 17 requested comment from Harp's attorney but had not received a response by the time this article was published. United States Attorney Timothy VerHey declined to comment.
No future court dates have been scheduled for Harp.
