A contractor who allegedly took payments for work he didn't do and then gave kickbacks to officials is the latest to be charged in the federal investigation into Macomb County.
- Chesterfield Township supervisor arrested & charged for demanding and taking bribes
- Clinton Township Trustee to stand trial on bribery charges
- Macomb Township Trustee Clifford Freitas arrested amid bribery allegations
- Taxpayers in Macomb Township react to the corruption accusations
- Head of Rizzo Environmental resigns amid federal investigation into Macomb Co. corruption
- Chuck Rizzo faces judge in federal case, prosecutors say his dad is next
According to the U.S. Attorney's Office, 51-year-old Christopher Sorrentino of Macomb Township was charged with one count of structuring financial transactions to avoid currency reporting requirements.
Acting U.S. Attorney Daniel Lemisch made the announcement with FBI Special Agent in Charge of Detroit Office David Gelio sand IRS Special Agent in Charge of Detroit Office Manny Muriel.
According to the attorney's office, Sorrentino allegedly accepted a check from Macomb Township, at the direction of a Macomb Township elected official, in November 2014. The check was for work Sorrentino didn't perform, according to the attorney's office.
The same official then told Sorrentino to pay him a kickback of $66,000, and in order to do that, Sorrentino allegedly wrote seven checks for less than $10,000, then caused the checks to be cashed, giving the $66,000 to the elected official.
The investigation is part of a wide-ranging corruption investigating within Macomb County. So far, multiple people, included elected officials and contractors, have been charged.
