ST. JOSEPH COUNTY, Ind. — Penn Harris Madison School Board Member Matt Chaffee is pushing for the courts to issue what is known as a “Protective Order” to prevent the release of information found during discovery in regard to his defamation claims against REAL News Michiana and journalist Clifton French. This information would include documents, communication, photographs and testimony regarding Chaffee’s use of prostitutes, drugs, gambling problems, abuse of women and mental health issues.
Earlier this year, Chaffee filed a defamation case against French and RNM for multiple investigative stories published that outlined the school board member’s use of prostitutes, drugs, apparent gambling addiction, stalking and harassing women and mental health problems. All of those stories were put together using multiple sources, court documents and even statements directly from Chaffee admitting to paying women for sex.
Chaffee brought the case in an attempt to prevent the media from reporting on important public issues. It is RNM’s stance that this push for a PO is a further attempt at silencing a journalist who has been investigating lies, hypocrisy and corruption within the school district. Information obtained during discovery would almost certainly support RNM’s previous stories.
“It is my understanding Mr. French refuses to agree to any protective order.” Chaffee’s attorney wrote in an email submitted to the court. “We will thus, not be participating in the deposition scheduled for September 18th.”
In response to written discovery questions known as “Interrogatories”, Chaffee already admitted to paying a woman for sex. The question Chaffee answered is written as follows:
“Have you ever utilized the services of prostitutes, escorts, or other sex-worker (ie., a person who provides sexual services in exchange for money)? If so, provide the date of each instance or interaction and the amount paid.”
“When I was in college and not in any relationship, I did pay a woman who I had a one-night stand with. I do not recall the amount.” Chaffee responded in the sworn testimony. A screenshot of that response can be seen below.
Multiple sources, including Chaffee’s own parents, have told RNM about Chaffee’s history and habit of using prostitutes. One source with intimate knowledge of his escapades tells RNM there was at least one instance in college involving a prostitute in which there were multiple witnesses. That source tells RNM Chaffee’s admission to using a prostitute one time in college could be due to the fact that there were multiple witnesses to that incident who could refute any claims to the contrary and testify against him.
RNM has received details about a multitude of other instances in which Chaffee allegedly paid for prostitutes in South Bend and other cities across the country. His father and step-mother even told RNM about an incident in which Chaffee was allegedly robbed by a prostitute.
BACKGROUND: HISTORY OF PROSTITUTES, DRUGS AND ILLEGAL GAMBLING OPERATION
Chaffee has been mired in controversy for nearly a year-and-a-half following multiple RNM investigations showing his issues involving prostitutes, substance abuse, illegal gambling and abuse of women.
On September 21st, 2023, Matt Chaffee’s own father, Doug Chaffee, reached out to RNM via text message asking for a phone call between him and his wife (Matt Chaffee’s step-mother).
“I am ashamed that I supported him (Matt Chaffee) and helped him get elected.” Doug Chaffee, Matt Chaffee’s father, wrote in part. “He is in a state that he can’t control himself and really needs to get back into therapy.”
What followed was an hours long phone conversation regarding Matt Chaffee’s lifelong struggles with mental health issues and a sexual appetite for prostitutes that has spanned the country. At the time, Matt Chaffee was involved in legal action against his own parents, leading them to contact RNM to discuss the issues their son has been facing and request a story be published.
During the conversation, Matt Chaffee’s step-mother, Brenda, described multiple alleged incidents involving prostitutes, including a fairly recent incident in which a prostitute robbed him and took off with his wallet. She described a time when Matt Chaffee was in Oklahoma and had to call his parents for help after an alleged incident with a prostitute there.
RNM spoke to Matt Chaffee later that day. During that conversation Chaffee admitted to paying prostitutes for sex, but did not go into details of the incidents.
GAMBLING
In August of 2024, REAL News Michiana uncovered court documents underscoring Matt Chaffee’s major problems with gambling as well. The court documents are from the School Board Member’s custody battle involving his young son. While the documents outline an abusive man who initially denied being the father of his child and ostracized his son’s mother, they also detail Chaffee’s apparent gambling addiction.
According to the documents in support of child support payments, Chaffee made approximately $125,000 in online gambling proceeds in just one year. However, Chaffee refused to provide his gambling losses. This would allegedly be because he didn’t want to provide the court with information showing his irresponsible gambling habit.
ILLEGAL GAMBLING INVESTIGATION
In July, RNM published another story showing Chaffee under investigation for allegedly selling information and access to an illegal gambling operation while he was the Manager of the Indiana University Basketball Team in the later part of the last decade.
According to multiple sources, while drunk at a party in Bloomington, Chaffee told a group of people that he had been selling or attempting to sell information and access to players to a nefarious gambling operation. During that time, Chaffee explained that he was promised money and a car in exchange for giving information or setting up a meeting with players prior to the IU v Georgia Tech NIT game in March of 2017. Sources also tell RNM, Chaffee has bragged about the illegal gambling incident on multiple occasions over the years.
According to sources, Chaffee was upset because the people running the gambling operation refused to give him the promised car and/or money after Chaffee had already held up his end of the bargain.
THE GAME
While IU was a huge favorite in the opening round of the 2017 NIT Tournament, the Hoosiers ended up losing the game versus Georgia Tech 63-75. Georgia Tech was in charge from the opening tip, starting the game 17-4, with a 15-0 run following a short lived 2-point Indiana lead.
According to a story from crimsonquarry.com from the time, “Indiana is undoubtedly a more talented team than Georgia Tech. With that said, mistakes and effort did the Hoosiers in.” Two of Indiana’s top players combined for only 13 points.
“The Hoosiers had 16 turnovers, gave up 22 points off of turnovers, and they played lackluster defense throughout the affair. Allowing such a poor shooting team to shoot in the manner that they did is an issue.”
The loss to Georgia Tech led to the end of Coach Tom Crean’s tenure as the IU Men’s Basketball Head Coach.
According to Linkedin, Matt Chaffee attended Indiana University from 2014-2019. During that time, he was the manager of the IU Men’s Basketball team.
CHAFFEE LOSES CUSTODY OF CHILD
Chaffee, who AGAIN has a long history of paying prostitutes, substance abuse, stalking and gambling problems, took time during a February 10th school board meeting to make unfounded claims that a local probate judge and his former attorney created a conspiracy to ruin his life. You see, in late 2023, a Magistrate in the St. Joseph County Probate Court gave full custody of Chaffee’s child to the child’s mother. Chaffee immediately filed an appeal. Then, on February 5th of this year (only FIVE days before PHM School Board Meeting in February) the Indiana Court of Appeals upheld the lower court’s ruling that the mother should maintain custody of Chaffee’s child. Instead of taking responsibility for his actions, Chaffee cried in front of the crowd as he went on an unhinged, incomprehensible tirade, while failing to mention any of the above facts.
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