Taylor Mayor Rick Sollars was indicted Dec. 19 for conspiracy to commit bribery, seven counts of bribery and 18 counts of wire fraud by the Department of Justice U.S. Attorney’s Office, Eastern District of Michigan.
By SUE SUCHYTA
Sunday Times Newspapers
TAYLOR – The Department of Justice unsealed a 33-count conspiracy to commit bribery indictment Dec. 19 against Mayor Rick Sollars, Community Development Director Jeffrey Baum and Realty Transitions’ Shady Awad.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Michigan announced charges of conspiracy to commit bribery from 2015 to 2019, U.S. Attorney Matthew Schneider said. Sollars, 45, and Awad, 39, of Allen Park, are also charged with seven counts of bribery each, with Sollars and Baum, 44, of Allen Park, are each charged with 18 counts of wire fraud.
Realty Transitions obtained tax-foreclosed properties with Sollars’ help, which it rehabbed and profitably sold, the indictment read. It is alleged that Sollars, in turn, received thousands in cash, $30,000 in renovations to his Taylor home, $11,000 in renovations to his vacation home and $12,000 in new appliances from Awad.
The indictment states that Sollars received a free refrigerator, stove, microwave, dishwasher, vacuum cleaner, washer, dryer and a $1,600 cigar humidor. It also alleges that Awad provided Sollars with hardwood floors on all three levels of his Taylor house and at his vacation home. Awad also allegedly provided Sollars with a new garage door, a new front door and cabinets, and refurbished the deck at his vacation home.
The indictment also alleges that Baum received bribes from Awad and another developer in exchange for Baum’s help in obtaining tax-foreclosed houses in Taylor.
The scheme is documented on text message exchanges between Sollars, Awad and Baum, the indictment read.
One text from Awad to a contractor who was working on Sollars’ vacation home allegedly states, “My relationship with Rick is worth $1 million so whatever it takes I’ll pay for.”
In a text to Sollars, Awad calls him his “silent partner” in Realty Transitions.
The 18-count wire fraud indictment against Sollars and Baum alleges that Sollars’ campaign fund defrauded donors in three ways. It is alleged that Sollars would write a check to a vendor from his campaign account for event catering, which the business person would refund in cash, with no catering provided.
Secondly, it is alleged that campaign donors would be directed by Sollars and Baum to write checks to businesses for events that did not occur, and the money would be provided in cash and scratch-off lottery tickets by the business owner.
The third allegation is that Sollars and Baum accepted thousands in cash contributions to Sollars’ campaign, which he did not deposit, and instead kept the cash to use for personnel expenses.
The indictment seeks the forfeiture of $205,993 in cash seized Feb. 10 from Sollar’s Taylor home.
U.S. Attorney Matthew Schneider said the alleged Taylor corruption is disturbing.
“Federal law enforcement will continue to aggressively investigate and prosecute any public officials who choose their personal greed over their public oath,” Schneider said.
Steven D’Antuono, Special Agent in Charge of the Detroit Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, said allegations of corruption are thoroughly investigated by the FBI’s Detroit Area Public Corruption Task Force.
“Public corruption at any level undermines the community’s faith in their elected officials and does long-term damage to government institutions,” D’Antuono said. “We encourage anyone who believes they have information about corruption to contact the FBI at 313-965-4545 or tips.fbi.gov.”
The case, which is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Dawn Ison and R. Michael Bullotta, was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Internal Revenue Service.
Sollars has maintained his innocence throughout the investigation, contending the money in his home safe was from legal gambling winnings, which he said are usually paid by casinos in cash to encourage big winners to continue gaming.
Sollars said he found it necessary to enroll his two youngest children in another parochial school, because they were being bullied at their original school because of the investigation against him.