Charges brought up against Kilpatrick
Kwame Kilpatrick, former mayor of Detroit, was found guilty on 24 of 30 counts this morning, after a decade-long trial.
Kilpatrick and friend and contractor Bobby Ferguson were convicted of racketeering and distortion, the Detroit Free Press said.
Prosecutors revealed that Kilpatrick directed $83 million to Ferguson, reciprocated with hundreds of thousands of dollars in kickbacks, according to NBC.
These charges yield 20-year maximum prison sentences, while charges in bribery and extortion have maximum 10-year prison sentences.
Ferguson was convicted of 11 counts, while Bernard Kilpatrick was convicted of one count of tax fraud.
The charges fall under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organization Act (RICO) of 1970, which “combat organized crime but have since been used in several public corruption trial.”
Both Kwame and Bernard Kilpatrick face tax charges as well. Prosecutors referred to the group as the “Kilpatrick Enterprise,” and said they “engaged in a pattern of criminal activity — one of the requirements of RICO — that included at least two criminal acts.”
When asked to comment to the Free Press, Kwame Kilpatrick said, “Not at this time.”