Who is the man Kwame Kilpatrick says is behind his conflict with his attorney?

DETROIT (WXYZ) - Who is Gasper Fiore, the man who found himself front and center in the Kilpatrick corruption case today?

7 Action News Investigator Scott Lewis has been reporting on Fiore for years.

For many years Fiore has been the king of Detroit police towing contracts. 

At one time he had seven contracts, and still has four, even though city rules say one contract per company. Fiore got around the city rule by buying other companies that already had contracts with Detroit.

Competing towers have long complained about Fiore’s domination of the business, but to no avail.

Phyllis Hernandez owns Detroit-based Casino Towing. She’s been trying to get a police contract for 11 years but can’t get her foot in the door.

Fiore has gotten other lucrative business from the Detroit Police Department as well.

Police lease a building on Fort Street from him to store confiscated cars. And they lease another building on Dix to house their auto theft unit.

Fiore is well connected with cops and politicians. He’s thrown extravagant parties well attended by both. Fiore’s daughter once interned in former Governor Jennifer Granholm’s office.

Fiore’s government contracts extend beyond the city. 

He once towed for the US Marshall’s service and still has a contract with the Michigan State Police. 

And the courtesy vans you see on the Detroit freeways?  

Fiore has the contract with the Michigan Department of Transportation to operate those.