Rick Sollars & Taylor City Hall Gerrymandering - What Does Rashida Tlaib Have To Say?

Rick Sollars has a story to tell about gerrymandering.

We are listening.

I wonder what Rashida Tlaib has to say, considering this is her district, and all.

FBI seizes $206K from Taylor mayor in corruption raid

Taylor Mayor Rick Sollars speaks during his
State of the City address last month.

FBI agents seized $206,493 from the home of Taylor Mayor Rick Sollars last month while investigating the Downriver politician for racketeering, bribery, wire fraud and money laundering.

The FBI revealed the seizure Friday, one month after a series of daylight raids that included searches at Taylor City Hall, Sollars' home and cottage, and the home and office of a city contractor.

The money represents two years' salary for Sollars, who is paid approximately $100,000 as mayor of Taylor.

An FBI spokeswoman declined to comment about the seizure, and Sollars' attorney could not be reached for comment Friday.

The seizure is the latest financial and legal issue facing Sollars, 45, who has not been charged with wrongdoing. Sollars has professed his innocence while he remains in office.

Federal prosecutors want to seize his home and vacation chalet in Lenawee County and have filed liens to have the approximately $600,000 worth of real estate forfeited to the government upon conviction.

The liens serve as a looming threat against Sollars and reference some of the most severe white-collar crimes prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney's Office. Wire fraud and the racketeering charge are punishable by up to 20 years in federal prison. The Taylor corruption investigation appears to have flowed from an earlier scandal in Macomb County. FBI agents wiretapped towing titan Gasper Fiore's phone three years ago and heard allegations involving Sollars and a lucrative towing contract, according to sealed court records that hint at the possible roots of a new corruption investigation. FBI wiretaps in Fiore case led to Taylor mayor

An FBI wiretap affidavit obtained by The News in 2017 that included probable cause to keep listening to Fiore's phone calls gained new relevance in light of a series of FBI raids last month at Sollars' homes and Taylor City Hall.

Records: FBI wiretapped more than dozen in corruption probe

The FBI raids last month included searches at the home and office of a city contractor Tuesday to determine if politicians pocketed bribes and kickbacks.

The searches at the home and office of Realty Transition owner Shady Awad in Allen Park provide a larger picture of an FBI public corruption investigation.

There have been no arrests during the ongoing investigation. It is unclear what, if anything, was seized from Awad's home or office on the 14000 block of Southfield Road because the search warrant affidavits listing probable cause to search the locations have not been unsealed.

The searches targeted a firm that works in Taylor and other municipalities to rehabilitate hundreds of foreclosed and distressed properties. Realty Transition is active in at least 15 local communities, including Detroit, Canton Township, Dearborn, Ecorse, Melvindale, Romulus, Southgate, Westland and Wyandotte, according to the company's website.

Taylor corruption probe leads to businessman

Sollars touted the city's partnership with Realty Transition in 2015 as a way to revitalize 95 tax-foreclosed properties. The city purchases properties and transfers the homes to developers, including Realty Transition, which restores the properties before renting or selling them.

Taylor city officials have refused to reveal what was seized during the city hall raid but a legal fight could soon provide details.

Wayne County Circuit Judge David Allen ordered the city to release search warrant records that the FBI left with city officials after the search, attorney Andrew Paterson said Friday. Paterson had sued the city to obtain the search warrant records, including copies of any subpoenas

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Cocktails & Popcorn: Did The Detroit Land Bank Authority Contract With Taylor Rick Sollars & Shady Awad?

Well, of course the Detroit Land Bank Authority did not contract with Taylor Rick and Slick Shady.

Everyone knows they are not incorporated because Bill "Smooches"Schuette filed a defective Writ of Quo Warranto to order the dissolution of the Detroit Land Bank Authority L.L.C., so there is no way possible there were any checks made out to them.

Duh.

Taylor cop suspended, mayor's aide quits as FBI corruption probe widens

Taylor Mayor Rick Sollars bought the $300,000
lakefront home in Cement City three years ago.
http://taylorrotary.org/

Taylor — Mayor Rick Sollars' chief of staff is leaving his post and a police officer has been suspended following a raid on the mayor's office this week by FBI agents investigating public corruption.

FBI agents also are investigating whether a contractor whose home and office was raided Tuesday helped renovate the mayor's lakefront chalet in Lenawee County, sources told The News.

New threads of the investigation surfaced Friday, three days after FBI agents raided Taylor City Hall, the mayor's home and chalet, and the house and office of city contractor Shady Awad. No charges have been filed as investigators sift through documents and other evidence seized during raids and try to determine whether public officials received bribes and kickbacks for awarding contracts.

Taylor mayor focuses on 'people's work' after raid

Sollars' chief of staff, Robert Dickerson, submitted his resignation letter Jan. 25, almost four weeks before the investigation burst into public view. FBI agents interviewed him Tuesday while investigators executed a search warrant at city hall.

Robert Dickerson

“He met with representatives of the FBI voluntarily on Tuesday and was advised he is not a target of the investigation,” city of Taylor spokesman Karl Ziomek said.

An FBI spokeswoman declined comment Friday.

Dickerson, the former Romulus police chief who was hired as the mayor's chief of staff three years ago, could not be reached for comment. Dickerson told the mayor he is leaving Taylor in coming weeks to work for a real estate development company, according to the resignation letter.

"The city of Taylor is in great hands with you and your leadership team, and without a doubt, the city is both financially and professionally positioned for continued accelerated growth, successes, and opportunities," Dickerson wrote to the mayor.

City officials refused Friday to release a list of items seized by FBI agents during the raid at City Hall.

On Friday, The News learned that Matthew Minard, who is listed as a police corporal on the city's website, was suspended after the FBI raids, according to sources.

Matthew Minard

“The police department does not release names, but we do have an officer on paid administrative leave due to the FBI probe,” Ziomek said.

He would not elaborate on why the law enforcement official was suspended.

Minard, who could not be reached for comment, and Dickerson are close associates of the mayor. The trio traveled to Las Vegas in November 2016 with a Taylor businessman.

Minard paid for the tickets but was reimbursed, the city spokesman said.

“Minard fronted the money. Sollars and Dickerson reimbursed him for that payment,” Ziomek said.

The FBI searches Tuesday extended far beyond Taylor City Hall.

Investigators also traveled 80 miles west of Detroit and searched Sollars' chalet in Cement City.

Sources familiar with the investigation said agents are questioning improvements made at the chalet, particularly a new deck overlooking Silver Lake.

The chalet in Cement City has a deck overlooking Silver Lake.

Sollars bought the home three years ago for $300,000 and was an infrequent visitor to the lakefront house, neighbor Kary Watson said.

Watson has lived across the street from the Sollars chalet for 38 years.

“It’s an A-frame; he had it all repainted this summer and somebody did a bunch of work inside,” Watson told The News. “Someone put a hot water heater in and left the box in the driveway.”

Sollars declined comment.

On Thursday, Sollars said he was innocent during the State of the City address.

Awad is a real estate mogul and owner of Realty Transition in Allen Park. The firm works with Taylor and other municipalities to rehabilitate hundreds of foreclosed and distressed properties. Realty Transition is active in at least 15 local communities, including Detroit, Canton Township, Dearborn, Ecorse, Melvindale, Romulus, Southgate, Westland and Wyandotte, according to the company's website.

Sollars touted the city's partnership with Realty Transition in 2015 as a way to revitalize 95 tax-foreclosed properties. The city purchases properties and transfers the homes to developers, including Realty Transition, which restores the properties before renting or selling them.

Awad has not responded to messages seeking comment.

The corruption scandal is the latest challenge facing Sollars.

In August 2015, a civil lawsuit was filed by Sollars’ business partner in Wayne County Circuit Court alleging Sollars had embezzled from their business, Kut-Rite Manufacturing. The lawsuit was dismissed months later.

Sollars, who owned half of the business with his partner Ralph Neri, was accused of embezzling more than $240,000 from Kut-Rite since 2012 and spending the money on sports memorabilia and personal expenses.

“In 2014 alone, Sollars used more than $107,000 in Kut-Rite funds to pay for personal and other expenses that had nothing to do with the business,” according to the complaint. “… Sollars’ embezzlement from Kut-Rite included the use of company funds to pay for approximately $25,000 in sports memorabilia in 2012 and 2013.”

In court filings, an attorney for Sollars called the complaint a “frivolous lawsuit.” Sollars denied all allegations and said Neri had an ulterior motive.

“The hope was that by filing the lawsuit — a public document — the plaintiffs could extort money from Sollars, who in addition to being a 50 percent owner in Kut-Rite Manufacturing, also is the Mayor of the City of Taylor,” according to Sollars’ motion.

After Sollars asserted his own claims against Neri for defamation, misuse of funds and breach of contract, both men withdrew their allegations against one another. The case was dismissed in May 2016.

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