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| "It takes a village...then pillages the resources" |
Here is a background on the civil action and I truly hope people will take the time to learn about the journey of recapturing the civil rights of Detroit, and all other cities which have fallen prey to the fraudulent asset forfeiture schemes by the stripping of voting rights through forced migration.
Now, we shall all sit back and enjoy the glorious work of U.S. Attorney's Office, Michigan Eastern District.
Get 'em, babies. Make mommy proud.
Federal grand jury issues subpoena in Detroit demolition probe
Mayor Mike Duggan’s office has confirmed that a grand jury has issued a subpoena for information regarding the city’s demolition program.
"We have fully cooperated with this investigation from the very beginning and will continue to do so," said Alexis Wiley, Duggan's Chief of Staff, in a statement. "The mayor's position always has been that if anyone has done something wrong they should be punished."
The grand jury probe comes a year after a federal investigation was first launched into the massive program, following a Free Press report in the fall of 2015 that demolition prices at one point rose 60% — from $8,500-$10,000 per home under former Mayor Dave Bing to an average at one point of $16,400 in 2014 under Duggan's administration.
The average demolition price per residential property last year was $12,618, according to the city.
Detroit’s demolition program is carried out by the Detroit Land Bank Authority and the Detroit Building Authority — both public agencies over which Duggan has influence.
Federal money for the program is funneled to the city by the Michigan Housing Development Agency and has largely been paid for with federal dollars from the Hardest Hit Fund, a TARP program. Detroit so far has been allocated more than $250 million from the federal Hardest Hit Fund and has torn down more than 11,000 blighted homes since 2014.
In December, federal investigators requested phone records and other documents for more than 30 people involved in Detroit's demolition program.
Mayor Duggan’s office, state targeted by grand jury investigation
Federal prosecutors probing Detroit’s demolition program have issued grand jury subpoenas for records from Mayor Mike Duggan’s office, contractors and city and state agencies.
Federal prosecutors probing Detroit’s demolition program have issued grand jury subpoenas for records from Mayor Mike Duggan’s office, contractors and city and state agencies.
The subpoenas, obtained first by Motor City Muckraker, seek documents from at least three demolition contractors as part of an FBI investigation that began in August 2015.
A grand jury began collecting records in April from Adamo Group, Able Demolition and BBEK Environmental, all local companies that received contracts from Detroit for demolitions or asbestos removal.
The subpoenas seek documents from the mayor’s office, the Detroit Land Bank, Detroit Building Authority and several state agencies, including the Michigan Land Bank, Michigan Blight Elimination Team and the Michigan Housing Authority.
The subpoenas also target demolition and asbestos contractors ADR Consulting, Homrich, MCM Management, Adamo, Attwell and DCR.
Three sources close to the investigation said federal authorities are probing allegations of a bid-rigging scheme to steer tens of millions of dollars in taxes to select companies.
Investigators also are probing allegations of wire fraud after some contractors received money for work they didn’t perform.
Investigators also are probing allegations of wire fraud after some contractors received money for work they didn’t perform.
The grand jury subpoenas, which indicate federal authorities are serious about pursuing criminal charges, were issued by Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen Reynolds of the Eastern District of Michigan.
“We have fully cooperated with this investigation from the very beginning and will continue to do so,” Duggan’s Chief of Staff Alexis Wiley said. “The mayor’s position always has been that if anyone has done something wrong they should be punished.”
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