Three Dearborn Heights men are facing charges after the FBI said they bribed city officials in order to open a medical marijuana dispensary in Garden City.
According to Special Agent in Charge David P. Gelios, Mike Baydoun, 54, Ali Baydoun, 52, and Jalal Baydoun, 38, are all charged in the case.
The FBI said it happened from September 2016 through December 2016, and the three did "willfully combine, conspire, confederate, and agree with each other to commit the crime of corruptly giving and offering things of value."
The three conspired to bribe the Garden City mayor, police chief and three city council members.
According to the indictment, Mike offered bribes to one official in exchange for the approval of a building for medial marijuana, and offered another official, identified as City Official A, a percentage of the profits from the dispensary.
The indictment says that City Official A was working with federal agents.
The three delivered a $15,000 bribe to City Official A, and also agreed to put $150,000 in an escrow account to "demonstrate their good faith and intent to pay additional bribes."
According to the indictment, Mike also offered to buy a police car and pay for an officer's yearly wages in exchange for the medical marijuana facility.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys J. Michael Buckley and Frances Lee Carlson will handle the prosecution for the three.
You can read the entire complaint below.
Men charged with bribing Garden City officials to open marijuana dispensary by WXYZ-TV Channel 7 Detroit on Scribd
