What a difference a week makes: that's all that separated Turkia Mullin from a lifetime of free healthcare, courtesy of a county without a penny to spare.
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Ficano ducks $96,000 pension questions
Wayne County Executive Bob Ficano faced questions for the first time Friday about his 41-year-old former aide set to collect an estimated $96,000 annual pension for the rest of his life.
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Official: Ex-Ficano aide "disingenuous"
The 41-year-old ex-aide to Robert Ficano poised to collect an almost six-figure annual pension was “disingenuous” when he said he was forced to do it, Wayne County Commission Chairman Gary Woronchak said today.
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Ex-Ficano aide, 41, to get $96k pension
Matt Schenk isn’t your average retiree. He’s 41, works full-time and makes $196,000 a year. But soon, he's expected to start collecting an annual $96,000 pension.
Concerns by the Department of Housing and Urban Development over a developer’s close ties to Robert Ficano’s office could cost the county.
7 Action News has learned that Wayne County Executive Robert Ficano has asked the U. S. Attorney to issue a letter stating that he is not a target of the FBI
Former Assistant Wayne County Executive Michael Grundy pleaded guilty to wire fraud Tuesday in U.S. District Court.
A federal judge has scheduled a plea hearing for a former assistant Wayne County executive-- which means a plea deal could be imminent.
Wayne County commissioners are fuming over news that Sheriff Benny Napoleon isn’t following a costly tether contract.
The woman at the heart of the Wayne County severance scandal broke her silence on Friday, saying she feels completely vindicated now that she’ll get paid more
Wayne County CEO Bob Ficano often dodges our questions, but now he’s running away from his own words.
Turkia Mullin just didn’t understand all the fuss over her $200,000 severance, even after agreeing to give it back.
A former Wayne County appointee wants a judge to toss out two criminal convictions, saying that he never got a chance to confront a key witness in court.
Federal agents continue to pound the pavement in Wayne County, according to sources. It's a sign that the FBI's probe into corruption inside the Robert Ficano
Wayne County Executive Robert Ficano will be without two full-time drivers--who double as security guards-- following backlash over the pricey perk.
The man who Wayne County Executive Robert Ficano wanted to hire as his third chauffeur has withdrawn his pending contract with the county, 7 Action News has
While Wayne County officials continue to issue pink slips, CEO Robert Ficano is looking to expand his fleet of chauffeurs from two to three.
Wayne County Executive Robert Ficano faced three-hours of questions today as part of a lawsuit filed by a former appointee who says he was wrongfully
Critical evidence is missing from a case against Wayne County Executive Robert Ficano, according to a lawyer who filed suit against the county and its CEO.
A former Wayne County appointee has been found guilty of two counts of obstruction of justice by means of false documents.
A dramatic turn in the Wayne County Corruption probe! The man on trial says "friendship" got him in trouble with the feds.
The first trial connected to the ongoing Wayne County corruption probe begins tomorrow in federal court.
When it came to photo ops, Bob Ficano was the master. Not long ago, he was a man in demand: cutting ribbons, posing for pictures, and pressing the flesh with
LISTEN: Before they voted to fire Turkia Mullin, the Wayne County airport board was engaged in some tense talk behind closed doors.
Bob Ficano wasn’t without his main money man for very long. Former Assistant County CEO Nader Fakhouri resigned from the county earlier this year, but
A federal grand jury has hit a former aide of Wayne County CEO Robert Ficano with 7 charges related to money laundering.
The Wayne County Ethics board is only one day old, but there are already questions about whether all of its 7 members are truly independent.
Despite months of complaints that they don’t have the power to remove the Wayne County CEO from office, the Wayne County Commission failed to approve a
One of Robert Ficano’s appointees has been indicted. Zayd Allebban was previously charged in a criminal complaint.
Tahir Kazmi is no doubt the biggest domino to fall in the FBI’s almost year-long probe into Wayne County government. With his guilty plea secured, county
Another top aide to Robert Ficano has pleaded guilty to accepting a bribe – and he’s looking at years behind bars. The question now is – who else will he
As Wayne County drowned in scandal, what was Bob Ficano's ethics watchdog spending taxpayer money looking into?
Another member of Robert Ficano's administration, and one of his key fundraisers, resigned abruptly from her county position this week.
The 7 Action News Investigators have learned that the firm hired to review Wayne County’s finances has received more than $4 Million in county contracts in
Questions are being raised tonight about whether the review of Wayne County’s finances will be fair.
James Wallace says he’s blowing the whistle on Robert Ficano’s political machine. He was recently let go by the county, and filed a lawsuit that’s leveling
7 Action News has learned that another manager in Wayne County’s controversial IT department has resigned.
The Wayne County Commission formally voted to censure Robert Ficano. The vote was a virtual certainty – but now it has passed, and the County Executive is
Robert Ficano (FACING RECALL): The 30-year public official is facing a scandal that has put his political career in jeopardy. He initially defended Turkia Mullin’s $200,000 severance after it was exposed by 7 Action News, then demanded it be paid back after the public turned against him. He promised at least 16 other county appointees secret severance deals—one as high as $350,000—which only came to light after the scandal broke. He faces a recall effort by a Plymouth attorney, and has not been named a target by the FBI’s probe.
Azzam Elder (RESIGNED): Elder resigned from his job as Ficano’s deputy in November after the county executive faulted him for his role in issuing Mullin’s severance. Insiders say Elder ran the county while Ficano focused more on media attention, taking on ceremonial duties as the county executive. He was promised a severance deal by Ficano worth up to $350,000 that he’s now fighting in court to receive. He sued Wayne County for wrongful termination in January for $25 million and is believed to be a target of the FBI’s county probe.
Turkia Mullin (FIRED): A September Action News Investigators report into her secret $200,000 severance payment sparked a firestorm of controversy. The former Wayne County Economic Development Chief voluntarily left the county in August to become CEO of Detroit Metro Airport. After news of her severance from the county broke, Mullin was quickly fired by the airport authority and the FBI subpoenaed records related to her time at the county. She is a focus of the FBI’s investigation.
Tahir Kazmi (CONVICTED): One of Robert Ficano’s top former aides, he headed up the county’s massive IT department until he resigned in February, the same day the U.S. Attorney charged him with bribery, extortion and obstruction of justice. He is alleged to have extorted trips and cash from a county vendor and later trying to cover it up.
Zaid Alleban (CHARGED): A Kazmi subordinate and friend in the IT department, the FBI says he tried to help cover-up his bosses alleged crimes. The feds claim to have Alleban on recordings telling a county vendor that the money he or she had given to Kazmi was really just loans.
Michael Grundy (INDICTED): A target of the FBI’s probe, sources say Grundy shook down a county healthcare vendor for large bribes in exchange for county contracts as part of a program known as Wayne County Health Choice. He was suspended and later fired by Ficano after he failed to cooperate with the county’s investigation. More recently, it was revealed that he used an unauthorized county credit card to purchase tens of thousands of dollars in meals, gasoline and gifts. He was indicted in March.
Sharon Mattic (FIRED): A Wayne County Health choice accountant fired “for failure to perform her fiduciary duties” while working with Health Choice Director Michael Grundy, her superior.
Tim Taylor (FIRED): The county’s former human resources director was back on a contract when Robert Ficano fired him for his role in approving Mullin’s severance. Ficano never explained what he did, but dismissed him in October.
Nader Fakhouri (RESIGNED): Known as Ficano’s top money man, he was the county executive’s chief fundraiser and an assistant CEO. Fakhouri’s campaign work has come under scrutiny recently, as county insiders have alleged he often does fundraising and political work on county time. In January, 7 Action News revealed e-mails that showed Fakhouri expected department heads to raise large amounts of money from county vendors they supervised. He resigned in March, citing health reasons.
Renee Axt (RESIGNED): A lobbyist who made lots of money off brokering county deals with vendors, she was one of Ficano’s four appointees to the Wayne County Airport Authority Board and a friend of Turkia Mullin’s. Ultimately, Axt and the board voted to fire Mullin in October. She resigned from the authority board in November after Ficano said any board members with conflicts of interest should leave their positions.
Carla Sledge: The Wayne County Chief Financial Officer kept her job but netted a $76,000 severance payment from county taxpayers last April. A Ficano spokeswoman said she received the severance—and more than $34,000 in banked leave time—because the CFO had run into challenging financial circumstances, including having to care for a loved one.
Anthony Parlovecchio (FIRED): A former Ficano appointee, he was brought back on a no-bid contract by the Wayne County Building Authority to supervise building of the county’s new $220 million jail. He was fired by the building authority after there was outrage over his contract, but not after billing the county $330,000.
Sam Nouhan: A lawyer whose law firms received several large contracts with the county, Nouhan is also vice-chair of the Wayne County Airport Authority and one of Mullin’s biggest defenders. The FBI is currently probing his business dealings with the county.
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