Former Cleveland Official Accused Of Accepting Bribes: DOJ

CLEVELAND, OH — A former Cleveland official has been accused of soliciting and accepting bribes from contractors, the Department of Justice announced. Rufus Taylor, the ex-head of the city's demolition department, has been charged in federal court with one count of bribery and one count of extortion.

“Public contracts should go to the most qualified bidder, not the best connected. We will remain vigilant and public employees who take bribes will be brought to justice," U.S. Attorney Justin Herdman said in a statement.

Taylor was the Chief of Cleveland's Demolition Bureau, according to criminal information filed by the Department of Justice (DOJ) in U.S. District Court. In his role, Taylor oversaw the "board-up" of vacant properties to contractors, emergency demolition jobs, inspections prior to demolitions, and other duties.

In November 2013, Taylor allegedly met with a person identified only as Contractor 1 in court documents. The two discussed a demolition job on Parkwood Drive and agreed that Contractor 1 would pay Taylor $8,000, in cash. In exchange, Taylor would put the Contractor on the bid list.

Contractor 1 paid $3,000 in cash to Taylor on December 4, 2013, the DOJ said. The remaining $5,000 was paid to Taylor on November 2015. Contractor 1 was then awarded the bid.

The city had an emergency demolition job arise on E. 123rd Street and Coltman Road around October 2015. Taylor reportedly told Contractor 1 about the job, then asked for $12,000 in exchange for his alert.

Contractor 1 was awarded abatement work for the premises, but did not pay Taylor the $12,000, the DOJ said.

Then, around August 20, 2015, Taylor provided bid numbers for a demolition job on Cedar Avenue to a person identified as Contractor 2. The DOJ said Taylor was paid approximately $5,000, in cash, in exchange for this information.

In May 2016, Taylor gave Contractor 2 the names of companies bidding on a demolition project on E. 130th Street. On May 10, 2016, the last day for bids, Taylor let Contractor 2 know what the then-current lowest bid on the project was, the DOJ said.

Contractor 2 gave Taylor about $500 in cash on May 25, 2016. In July 2016, Taylor told Contractor 2 he needed some "stacks." Contractor 2 gave Taylor about $300, according to information provided by the DOJ.

“The charges disclosed today prove our continuing resolve to root out fraud and corruption in all forms, especially when the programs involved should have been used to help our neediest families,” said Brad Geary, special agent in charge, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Office of Inspector General.

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Photo from Rick Uldricks, Patch