Detroit — The federal government wants more than $16.4 million from Bobby Ferguson, who is accused of rigging bids to win city contracts and participating in a racketeering conspiracy with his close friend, former Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick.

The amount includes cash, checks and property seized or frozen by the government leading up to Ferguson's indictment in September, according to a weekend filing by federal prosecutors in U.S. District Court in Detroit.

Federal prosecutors say more than $3.9 million in cash, checks and certificates of deposit are subject to forfeiture, along with firearms and ammunition.

If Ferguson or his co-defendants are convicted, the government wants a judgment against them totaling almost $12.5 million.

That's the amount prosecutors say Ferguson, his companies and business executives reaped in connection with rigging bids related to a public housing project.
http://detnews.com/article/20110117/METRO01/101170339/Feds-seek-$16.4M-from-Kilpatrick-friend