“Ex-Detroit Library Official Timothy Cromer Charged With Taking $1.4 Million in Bribes”

From MLive.com:

U.S. Attorney Barbara L. McQuade on Tuesday charged Cromer, the Detroit Public Library chief administrative and technology officer, with taking more than $1.4 million in bribes and kickbacks from library contractors.
Cromer, 46, who had earned an annual salary of $145,323, is charged in a 21-count indictment along with contractors James Henley and Ricardo Hearn.
McQuade’s office claims that Cromer “helped” Henley create a business, Core Consulting & Professional Services, in 2007 which then bid on information technology services contracts at the library.

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Former top Detroit library official charged with taking $1.4M in bribe (via Detroit News)

A former top official of the Detroit Public Library was indicted Tuesday on allegations he took bribes and kickbacks totaling $1.4 million — money that could have saved branches closed by the struggling system.
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The 21-count indictment of former chief administrative officer Tim Cromer and two contractors followed a November raid by the FBI of library offices and his home. The charges didn’t shock library officials and users — but the size of the alleged bribes did.
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The system closed two branches, Mark Twain and Richard, in 2011 to save about $1 million a year and reduced the hours of other branches. Cromer helped make recommendations to close the branches.
“The employees and the public appear to be the victims of a conspiracy whose scope was larger than anyone ever speculated,” said Russ Bellant, president of the library board.

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USA v. Cromer, Hearn, Henley–Indictment

See Also: FBI Raids Main Branch of the Detroit Public Library Looking for Financial Records (November 20, 2012)

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