Freep sifts evidence to trace bribery scheme up corporate ladder
Jennifer Dixon of the Detroit Free Press dug through evidence collected as part of a federal investigation of city corruption to see how much Synagro Technologies executives knew about the bribery used to sway politicians into voting for a $1.2-billion contract for sludge disposal.
The story relies on wiretapping evidence to eliminate the “he said, she said,” while noting no company executives have been charged. (Prosecutor says the investigation continues.) Jennifer writes:
“For years, two corrupt Synagro Technologies salesmen courted Detroit power brokers with cash, Vegas getaways, booze, even a $1,200 strip-club outing as the company sought a $1.2-billion city contract for sludge disposal.
“Both men were caught and sent to prison for bribery. No one else at Synagro has been charged.
“But documents reviewed by the Free Press indicate that at least four Synagro executives — including the CEO at the time — were aware of thousands of dollars in questionable spending by the salesmen, James Rosendall and Rayford Jackson, with some executives approving payments on several occasions.”
Today’s Tip: Check evidence trails for answers.
Court records can provide a treasure trove of information. You can check court dockets either on Pacer.gov for the federal courts or at your local courthouse to know when new information gets filed. David Heath, now with the Huffington Post Investigative Fund, describes how he used court records to track down victims of mortgage fraud when he was at The Seattle Times. And James Bandler of Fortune magazine points out the value of depositions – including asking for those not filed in the public record.
