LANSING, Mich. (WZMQ) – State Rep. Karl Bohnak is raising concerns over foreign influence in Michigan after a report revealed the government of Singapore owns more than 540,000 acres of land in the Upper Peninsula.
The property, largely forested and used for timber harvesting, accounts for more than 5% of the U.P.’s total land and is held through a network of shell corporations connected to Singapore’s sovereign wealth fund, the Government of Singapore Investment Corporation (GIC).
“This came out through an accounting process,” said Bohnak, “It showed that Singapore owned all this land. Even though Singapore is an ally of the United States, to have a foreign entity own that much is a concern.”
Bohnak said the complex corporate structure used to acquire and manage the property highlights a broader issue of transparency. In some cases, land ownership remains hidden behind multiple layers of shell companies, making it difficult to determine who ultimately controls large portions of Michigan land.
The land holdings, managed by the private equity firm The Rohatyn Group, span several counties and include one-sixth of all land in Gogebic County. The full extent of the foreign ownership came to light after federal records were obtained by a third-party media investigation.
Bohnak pointed to legislation he supported earlier this year aimed at limiting foreign influence in Michigan. The legislative package, currently pending in the state Senate, would ban countries labeled as “foreign adversaries” — including China, Iran, North Korea, and Russia — from purchasing farmland or property near critical infrastructure like military bases.
While Singapore is not considered a foreign adversary, Bohnak said the scale of the investment underscores the need for stronger oversight.
“When countries own large swaths of our land, they take away opportunities from U.P. companies,” Bohnak said. “We need to make sure the citizens of Michigan own the majority of land in the Upper Peninsula and across the state.”
