Feds have evidence ex-Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick took bribes

[leland_palmer]

Contractor said Kilpatrick got up to $100K, his father up to $290K; Kilpatrick's lawyer says he knows nothing of bribery accusation

BY JENNIFER DIXON and JIM SCHAEFER
FREE PRESS STAFF WRITERS

A contractor who pleaded guilty in an ongoing corruption probe in Detroit has told investigators that he handed as much as $100,000 in bribes to then-Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick in 2002, according to interviews and sworn documents reviewed by the Free Press.

The contractor, Karl Kado of West Bloomfield, also told the FBI he paid hundreds of thousands of dollars to the mayor's father, and thousands more to a close mayoral aide, according to the records and interviews.

Kado told authorities he paid Kwame Kilpatrick in four or five installments of about $20,000 each. Kado, who is awaiting sentencing for paying bribes to protect multimillion-dollar Cobo Center contracts, said he sometimes delivered the money in envelopes to Kilpatrick's office on the 11th floor at City Hall, and sometimes Kilpatrick dropped by Cobo to get the cash.

The allegations are significant because they show, for the first time, that the government has secured the cooperation of someone who says he gave payoffs directly to Kilpatrick.

In pursuing Kilpatrick, investigators tracked cash moving in and out of bank accounts and wiretapped the phone of his father, among others, while slowly trying to build a case.

FBI agents also contend in sworn statements that they have grounds to believe Kilpatrick and his associates used the mayor's office to run a criminal enterprise, a term the FBI reserves for organized crime and racketeering cases.

It remains to be seen whether Kilpatrick or his father ever face federal charges.

Authorities describe a variety of alleged bribes and extortion demands during Kilpatrick's years in office that, when taken together, could amount to racketeering violations under federal law. Allegations cited in government documents and culled from interviews include:

• That Kwame Kilpatrick accepted bribes of up to $100,000 from Kado, a businessman who had exclusive, no-bid janitorial and electrical-services contracts at Cobo Center and a sundry shop at the convention hall.

• That Kilpatrick deposited unspecified sums of cash into bank accounts without declaring the funds as income.

• That Bernard Kilpatrick received large amounts of money from contractors and business owners in return for official acts by the mayor; and that he pressured others to donate to his son's political or civic fund.

• That Kado paid at least $30,000 in bribes to mayoral aide Derrick Miller, including $10,000 for a trip to Europe.

• That Miller told a local businessman he would be punished for backing a political opponent when Kilpatrick sought re-election. Shortly afterward, the businessman's commercial vehicles started getting ticketed in Detroit -- with the directive to do so allegedly coming from the mayor's office.

A RICO case -- if it ever materializes -- would expose Kwame Kilpatrick to far greater potential punishment than others who have been charged in an ongoing metro Detroit public corruption probe. Defendants in RICO cases can face up to 20 years on each count.

Is the other shoe finally about to drop?

[Chuck_MI]

This is huge news. This might break the silence in the Strawberry case. Cops might begin to talk if they come to understand that their silence means that they are a part of a cover-up.

From AP Wire:
Government documents suggest the FBI also is investigating possible money-laundering or tax evasion by the ex-mayor.
Kilpatrick, who has been under criminal probe by the Internal Revenue Service, made several cash deposits, which he kept under $10,000 -- the level that would trigger automatic scrutiny by federal bank regulators, the documents reviewed by the Free Press say. The cash was deposited without being reported as income, the records contend. Authorities say Kilpatrick also paid credit card bills with cash.
Griem said the government would likely look closely at possible money laundering when someone makes cash deposits and also pays their bills with cash, particularly if the person is not running a cash-intensive business.
"If there is a pattern of such activities, this will certainly come under the scrutiny of federal investigators," Griem said.

[DanFromDetroit]

Well of course he did - anyone who's followed the recent court developments knows he's dirty. It's just a matter of time before he goes back to the clink. I just wish they'd lock him up and make him go away so the city can move on. Ugh

[Chuck_MI]

Ella Bully-Cummings is now talking. Or at least has been recently deposed:

[sumas]

Yes the ex mayor is dirty. Sorry I helped put that SOB in office. It is always sad [[and expensive) when public officials let us down.

I predict that that SOB will become a preacher, repentance and all that crap. Lots of money in the God business.

Last I looked, my marriage vows required fidelity and honesty. We have been together 35 years and have never broken our trust. Be nice if our politicians retained that same integrity.

[bartock]

If I read that right, Bernard and Kwame received almost $400,000 in one year from one company. This is going to end up being millions and millions of dollars, not to mention the contracts themselves [[Cobo, anything Jenkins was attached to) not being fulfilled.

Wonder when water department contracts will come up. There is more money in that than there is in wastewater treatment.

Sumas - I thought the same thing as you, but if he goes down for RICO, it will be awhile before we see him behind a pulpit. As Kwame would say, "thank God."

[Zacha341]

Okay! So what did she say?

Ella Bully-Cummings is now talking. Or at least has been recently deposed:

[Zacha341]

Great! If this thing blows up all the way this man is headed back here to the pokey! And we'll have a martyr on our hands and no money recaptured.... Nuts!

[neighbor]

Ella Bully-Cummings is now talking? Finally!!! Now we can get some answers about the fireworks shootings.

[Big Dog]

Don't get your hopes up. Even though the feds have the evidence, they have said, they may not even prosecute. If this goes higher, like to the governor or mama, no prosecution will be made.

[LodgeDodger]

Great! If this thing blows up all the way this man is headed back here to the pokey! And we'll have a martyr on our hands and no money recaptured.... Nuts!

Zacha, forget the 'money recaptured'. If Jumbo and his friends end up with incredibly long jail sentences, that would make me happier than his repaying the million.

I've said this about a million times, but that kid had the talent to rule the world. He was greedy, stupid, and a criminal. He shit on the people of Detroit who gave him their trust. Go to jail you bastard. Rot in jail. Take you and your family with you.

Hope his kids learn something from this.

[luckycar]

Fast forward to 2020.Yall's boy is ready to leave the Fed. lock-up,after serving 10 on a 15 to 20.Exchanges the big orange jumpsuit for something silk and Italian.A little thiner,grayer and gone thru a conversion to Budda,Allah,Christ or Kaballah.Family,who was most important thru his "troubles",at the news presser.He's again asking for forgiveness.Gets into the motorcade of 2020 Escalade Hygrogen/Electrics,and is ready to start his new life.......as Big Daddy K II,advisor to his sons runs for state rep.,senate seat,clownsil or mayor.What a nightmare I had!

[Buy American]

Is this really a surprise to anyone? This thug and his entourage have raped and pillaged Detroit for years and was voted into office twice.

Then, the City of Detroit has the balls to demand employees take pay cuts, lose some of their health care, get laid off...and why...because the City can't afford to keep them...and why is that...because of corrupt people in office who would rather fill their pockets with cash and goodies than fulfill their obligations to serve the people of Detroit. Yes, they served them alright..on a platter to every crook to come out of the woodwork. Get rid of the corruption, wasteful spending, get more police on the street, and make the City government a lean mean machine and watch a turnaround happen. But DON'T take it out on the employees who are trying to do their jobs; get rid of the appointees, the relatives of these crooks, the aunts, sisters, cousins, old friends, schoolmates, and let the dedicated employees do their jobs.

[Brittz]

SNIPPED

I've said this about a million times, but that kid had the talent to rule the world. He was greedy, stupid, and a criminal. He shit on the people of Detroit who gave him their trust. Go to jail you bastard. Rot in jail. Take you and your family with you.

I have thought he could have probably been the first black governor for the state of MI. His gift of gab could have taken him far.

[d.mcc]

I remember saying awhile back that the whole administration could be nailed with RICO predicates. Bam I was right

[English]

Yes the ex mayor is dirty. Sorry I helped put that SOB in office. It is always sad [[and expensive) when public officials let us down.

I voted for him in 2001, too. The alternative was Gil Hill. Somehow, I think that we would have had far less flamboyance, but the city would have been in the same place.

Here's my question: if we had to have a young black hip-hop generation mayor, how come we got Kwame Kilpatrick, and Newark got Cory Booker? Where are our Cory Bookers -- black, white, Mexican, Polish, Arab, etc.?

Kwame ruined it for young people in Detroit aspiring to the mayor's office. It will be a long time before Detroiters elect another 31 year old mayor again.

[Zacha341]

Yeah, I voted for him the first time too, though with reservations. Then I went against some in my immediately family and did NOT vote for him the second time... by then I knew his questionable spending and attitude as not a one-off sorta thing but a pattern. That was proven correct as became increasingly corrupt.

I voted for him in 2001, too. The alternative was Gil Hill. Somehow, I think that we would have had far less flamboyance, but the city would have been in the same place.

Here's my question: if we had to have a young black hip-hop generation mayor, how come we got Kwame Kilpatrick, and Newark got Cory Booker? Where are our Cory Bookers -- black, white, Mexican, Polish, Arab, etc.?

Kwame ruined it for young people in Detroit aspiring to the mayor's office. It will be a long time before Detroiters elect another 31 year old mayor again.

[leland_palmer]

I think Hajii's argument to the applet court that KK might lose sales or his job b/c Kym is picking on Kwame will be rendered moot by this pretty soon.

[Ravine]

Let's not become too giddy.
A RICO case is difficult to pull off. The Freep is telling us that the feds may be preparing to attempt to do so. That may be so, but it doesn't mean that they will proceed with it. Just as it would be a big one to win, it also would be a big one to lose; some of the eggs that would go into that omelette might be more successfully used in servings not so difficult to flip, as it would be a shame to waste them.
Also, Kado was facing heavy punishment. As much as we may be plenty willing, at this point, to believe just about anything bad about KK , it is distinctly possible that Kado was willing to say anything in order to save his own skin.
Although, if it is true that the relevant bank records lend credence to Kado's story, well, that's quite interesting, huh.
Also, why are some of these crooks so stupid? If I had just obtained many thousands of dollars in a shady way, I would take that shit home with me, not deposit it in the bank. Common skag pushers know better than that.
And, then we have Monica Conyers. If the $6000 figure is correct, and the sludge-hauling deal was worth 1.2 billion, then dividing those amounts down brings us to the same thing as, say, me helping you get access to 1.2 million, and all I get out of the deal is a goddam $6.00 tip on the way to being busted for a major, career-ending felony.
What a cheap date, especially for a classless dame who has the audacity to talk down to people.
Hah!! Not so smart, now, huh, dumb-ass!!

[mikeg19]

Is this really a surprise to anybody? Eventually these things were going to come out. Gonna be interesting to see what the fallout of this is.

[daddeeo]

A hard rain is gonna fall.

[carman]

Of course KK and Dad are involved in this. However, with what we saw in the Riddle event, does anyone think for one second that a jury in this region would take them down? That was merely the minor leagues. The amount of people that would revel in getting them off is endless. Even if they were victims of this pillage, skin color would reign supreme!

[Just Amazed]

Just wondering how much Karmanos will pay him now to plead guilty and leave Covisint

[kraig]

Just wondering how much Karmanos will pay him now to plead guilty and leave Covisint

I hear you. It's apparent that Karmanos is doing things more from self preservation than loyalty. It will be interesting to find out what kind of activity ol' Pete got himself into.

[kraig]

The Feds batting average in Detroit sucks. Getting Kwame would definitely be a much needed home run for them.