The Riddle wrapped in the Con(yers) gets Indicted

Sam Riddle gets indicted by the feds and from the looks of it And it seems the Synagro deal was hardly the first in the Monica Conyers "Pay Me to Do Business in Detroit" plan.

The Detroit Free Press: Feds paint Conyers as bold shakedown artist

The federal grand jury indictment might say “United States of America vs. Samuel L. Riddle Jr.”


But the name of Monica Conyers surfaces everywhere in the 27-page document, which contends that the former city councilwoman played Bonnie to Riddle’s Clyde as they prowled Detroit, boldly shaking down businesspeople and stuffing their pockets and bank accounts with cash.

. . .

“You’d better get my loot, that’s all I know,” Conyers is quoted as telling Riddle regarding a payment from a restaurant owner.

Riddle passed her $10,000 in that caper, the indictment says.

Conyers pleaded guilty last month to one count of bribery conspiracy in the $1.2 billion Synagro sludge-hauling deal. If even some of the new allegations are true, you don’t need a Harvard law degree to realize Conyers got a great deal.

Some of these allegations in the indictment include:

• Conyers conspired with Riddle to hit up the owner of a technology company for $20,000 to make Riddle a bogus “consultant.”

• Conyers and Riddle pressured a Detroit restaurant owner to pay Riddle $20,000 for another “consulting job” that didn’t exist.

• Conyers and Riddle received $25,000 from the owner of a strip club with an issue before the city council.

• Conyers and Riddle attempted to receive money in another faux “consulting contract” for Riddle, this time with a real estate developer.

Either the federal prosecutors in this case wanted
1. Her out as quickly as possible with the minimum of fuss in return for giving her a sweet plea deal o
2. They weren't paying attention and thought the Synagro deal was the best way to get her.

Most likely number 1 is true in this case, at least I certainly hope it is.

These revelations certainly don't enhance the atractiveness of Detroit as a place to do business. On top of the bureacracy that you need to payoff the politicians to get things done should hardly appeal.