Another Kilpatrick relative pinching funds

lilpup · August-13-10, 08:38 PM

fer cryin' out loud

This time it's a cousin on the Cheeks side of the family.

http://www.crainsdetroit.com/article...REE/100819931#

**Detroit Stylin** · August-13-10, 09:08 PM

This really makes no damn sense.....

**Maof** · August-13-10, 09:10 PM

just a bunch of trash

LodgeDodger · August-13-10, 09:11 PM

What would surprise me is to learn there is an honest relative involved with any of the funds. Seriously.

**Zacha341** · August-13-10, 09:20 PM

Of course this can all be justified.... somehow. 'Everyone' steals after all.

Originally Posted by lilpup

fer cryin' out loud

This time it's a cousin on the Cheeks side of the family.

http://www.crainsdetroit.com/article...REE/100819931#

**Det_ard** · August-13-10, 10:26 PM

Typical, expected, what's everybody lookin' at? Move along now, go home.

**jtf1972** · August-13-10, 11:48 PM

Shocking. Truly shocking.

**agirlintheD** · August-14-10, 12:43 AM

Originally Posted by LodgeDodger

What would surprise me is to learn there is an honest relative involved with any of the funds. Seriously.

Now THAT would be breaking news!!!

**Meddle** · August-14-10, 01:54 AM

Michigan Attorney General Mike Cox has filed a civil lawsuit against a cousin of former Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick, alleging she used thousands of dollars of charitable money to cover personal expenses, including jewelry, a restaurant tab at the Roostertail, a veterinary bill and bridal expenses.

According to the lawsuit, filed Aug. 11 in Ingham County Circuit Court, Nneka Cheeks, while employed by the then-mayor, diverted $25,000 from the Manoogian Mansion Restoration Society’s [[MMRS) bank account for her own personal use. The charitable fund, which Cheeks had access to, was supposed to be used to help preserve and restore the Manoogion Mansion.

Instead, the lawsuit claims, Cheeks dipped into the fund and withdrew more than $7,000 in cash and made roughly $17,000 in questionable payments to third parties, including:

• $3943.40 – Pioneer Credit Recovery

• $3590 – Roostertail restaurant in Detroit

• $2631.06 – Jewelry Factory in Livonia

• $2,500 – Florida-based golf academy Leadbetter Orlando

• $1,865.51 – Paypal Payments

• $1300 – Michigan Veterinary Specialists

• $1140 – Brides Made Fit

• $450 – Charles Mok, D.O.

“The generosity of Michigan families and businesses is remarkable and good for our state, so it is important to ensure their charitable donations are used as intended -- not stuffed into the pockets of people entrusted with managing the funds," Cox said in a statement.

The civil complaint asks the court to order Cheeks to account for the funds she handled, to return the money, and to pay damages in the amount of triple the sum she diverted.

As of late Friday, Cheeks had not yet been served because Cox’s office could not locate her.

Cheeks declined comment.

According to the suit, Cheeks worked for Kilpatrick from 2002 to 2008. In 2007, she assumed the unofficial role of mayoral liaison to the MMRS and acquired access to the group’s bank account. She left her job at the mayor’s office in 2008, but retained access to the organization’s bank account into mid-2009.

The lawsuit alleges that over the course of the Kilpatrick Administration, leadership of the Manoogian Mansion society became passive, and the organization failed to comply with federal and state reporting and licensing requirements.. In January, Cox’s Charitable Trust Section issued a subpoena for the Society’s books and records, with which the Society voluntarily complied. A review of the books and records led to the lawsuit against Cheeks.

Attorney David Baker Lewis, who represents the Manoogian Mansion Restoration Society, was unavailable for comment.

The lawsuit resembles allegations made in a federal indictment against Kilpatrick, in which the ex-mayor is accused of using Civic Funds for personal use. He has denied wrongdoing.

Contact TRESA BALDAS: [[313) 222-4296 or tbaldas@freepress.com

Read more: http://www.freep.com/article/2010081...ed-restitution

**CLAUDE G** · August-14-10, 02:11 AM

Yea, and Mike Cox wants them to repay 3 times what they stole. Yea, he will be luckey to get anything back.

**Meddle** · August-14-10, 02:36 AM

Maybe we could take a page out of the Chinese penal code for the Kilpatrick clan.

http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE67C0WQ20100813

lilpup · August-14-10, 04:57 AM

From Washington D.C. and Wall Street right on down these types of white collar crimes are far, far too lightly punished.

**gnome** · August-14-10, 06:30 AM

She is the daughter of Raymond Cheeks, a former neighborhood city hall director, who did such a terrible job, he was actually fired by Kwame.

Raymond is brother to poor old Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick.

Nneka was hired in 2002 for around $50k, with a resume that said she was a MSU grad. Oops. Never attended MSU.

Bt she did such a good job, she got a nice bump to around $60k.

---

The KK stink will be with us for years.

**Zacha341** · August-14-10, 07:34 AM

Hah! That's the policy of some of the local Detroit merchants [[like the beauty supply stores).... you steal, you "pay" three times the price -- or they call the cops to arrest you! LOL!

Originally Posted by CLAUDE G

Yea, and Mike Cox wants them to repay 3 times what they stole. Yea, he will be luckey to get anything back.

**Zacha341** · August-14-10, 07:38 AM

Yikes! Why anyone would falsify education is beyond me. Especially when it can be verified so easily.... but some employers don't check apparently.

Originally Posted by gnome

She is the daughter of Raymond Cheeks, a former neighborhood city hall director, who did such a terrible job, he was actually fired by Kwame.

Raymond is brother to poor old Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick.

Nneka was hired in 2002 for around $50k, with a resume that said she was a MSU grad. Oops. Never attended MSU.

Bt she did such a good job, she got a nice bump to around $60k.

---

The KK stink will be with us for years.

**daddeeo** · August-14-10, 09:41 AM

Drain the swamp Mikey.

**Zacha341** · August-14-10, 10:33 AM

LOL! He's probably on a mission for sure to get after the remaining Kilpatrick/ Cheeks folks seeing as how his perceived involvement with them was an ball-and-chain re. his bid for governor.

Originally Posted by daddeeo

Drain the swamp Mikey.

Buy American · August-14-10, 12:58 PM

Just a bunch of friggin thug criminals...not an honest one in the bunch. Sure glad Carolyn is out of the picture, she's just as bad. The whole family feels entitled to their own personal ATM machines at the City's expense.

**Magnatomicflux** · August-14-10, 01:19 PM

Originally Posted by daddeeo

Drain the swamp Mikey.

You got it daddeeo. Only way to make the ground good for farming. Drain the swamp, pull out the stumps, plant the seeds of change. No limit on what Detroit could grow with some nice soil to stretch its roots into.

**dtrrman** · August-16-10, 08:13 AM

Originally Posted by gnome

She is the daughter of Raymond Cheeks, a former neighborhood city hall director, who did such a terrible job, he was actually fired by Kwame.

Raymond is brother to poor old Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick.

Nneka was hired in 2002 for around $50k, with a resume that said she was a MSU grad. Oops. Never attended MSU.

Bt she did such a good job, she got a nice bump to around $60k.

---

The KK stink will be with us for years.

Bunch was never anything but a "self-entitled" crime family. A colorful combination of institutional and generational corruption at its finest.