(The Center Square) – A federal indictment was issued charging Patrick Wimberly, 49, the elected mayor of Inkster, Michigan, with receiving a $50,000 bribe, United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison announced.
According to the indictment, Wimberly demanded cash payments to facilitate the sale of property owned by the city to an outside party.
Wimberly was charged with bribery concerning programs receiving federal funds. The charge carries a maximum sentence of 10 years imprisonment and a fine of $250,000.
Over several months, Person A provided Wimberly with monthly cash bribes to secure the purchase of this property, according to the indictment. The monthly payments started at $5,000 but the parties agreed to eventually increase that amount to $10,000 monthly.
Person A then increased the monthly payments to $10,000. In total, Person A provided $50,000 in cash to Wimberly to assure a winning bid of Parcel 1, according to the indictment.
“Elected public officials owe a duty to their community to act in the citizens’ best interest,” Ison said in a statement. “Our office is committed to prosecuting those public officials who betray the public trust by accepting bribes.”
Ison was joined in the announcement by Cheyvoryea Gibson, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Detroit Field Office.
“Mr. Wimberly was elected to serve the people of Inkster, yet he prioritized his personal interests and greed over their needs,” Michigan FBI Special Agent in Charge Cheyvoryea Gibson said in a statemetn. “The FBI considers public corruption its primary criminal investigative concern and will continue investigating allegations to maintain public trust in elected officials.”
