Indictment Says North Royalton Man Bribed Cleveland Official

NORTH ROYALTON, OH — A North Royalton man has been accused of paying cash bribes to a Cleveland building official, the Department of Justice announced.

An indictment filed this week accuses Martin Fano, 69, of seven counts of honest services mail and wire fraud.

“Bribery is not acceptable, whether you are a contractor paying the bribe or a public official accepting the money,” U.S. Attorney Justin Herdman said. “Rooting out corruption is vital to protecting our public institutions.”

According to the indictment, Fano owned ABC Construction, which provided demolition and construction services in the Cleveland area. The company had done work for the City of Cleveland, the Cuyahoga County Land Bank, and various private groups.

The indictment said Fano bribed Rufus Taylor, who was then Cleveland's Chief of the Demolition Bureau. Fano would pay cash to Taylor so that inspectors would quickly examine work done by ABC Construction, and allow the company to get signed permits for work performed, the indictment noted.

This activity took place between June 2016 and January 2017, and the bribes helped Fano get faster payment for demolition jobs, the indictment said.

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“The prosecution of Mr. Fano’s conduct should serve as a reminder that the HUD Office of Inspector General will vigorously pursue these individuals and bring them to justice. We wish to thank the U. S. Attorney’s Office and our federal law enforcement partners for their continued partnership throughout this investigation," said Brad Geary, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Office of Inspector General.

Taylor has already pleaded guilty to bribery and extortion charges, the Department of Justice noted. He will be sentenced later this year.

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