INDEPENDENCE, Ohio–Four FBI agents have entered the house of County Commissioner Jimmy Dimora Wednesday morning and took him away in handcuffs.
NewsChannel5 saw the agents enter his Independence home and drive him away in handcuffs. The agents arrived in two vehicles and knocked on the door for a few minutes before someone eventually answered. The agents then entered the home, and left with Dimora in handcuffs.
FBI spokesman Scott Wilson confirmed that they are making arrests this morning, but did not confirm if Dimora was arrested.
Dimora is accused by federal prosecutors of using his public office to gain trips and cash.
Defendants who have already pleaded guilty to related charges told prosecutors they performed free home improvements and even provided Dimora with a prostitute during a trip to Las Vegas. But it was a halfway house in Cleveland that got the attention of the FBI in July 2009.
Brian Schuman ran Alternative Agency Inc. and pleaded guilty to bribing Dimora in return for being awarded the $250,000 contract for his agency.
Schuman also admitted he conspired with former county employee J. Kevin Kelley and paid for trips to Las Vegas and New Orleans, expensive meals and at least $1,000 for personal services for Dimora.
The halfway house also involved former Lakewood Mayor and State Senator Anthony Sinagra.
Sinagra pleaded guilty to taking nearly $200,000 in fees from Schuman’s agency while performing little or no work. Sinagra has pleaded guilty to bribing Kelley, who was also a Parma School Board member, in return for contracts with the district.
Prosecutors also alleged Dimora received thousands of dollars in free work at his home.
Cleveland businessman Steve Pumper pled guilty to providing home improvements, plus $33,000 in cash, in exchange for county business.
But the most explosive allegations came from Cleveland businessman Ferris Kleem who told federal prosecutors that he bribed both Dimora and Russo in return for contracts and claimed to have paid $1,000 for a prostitute for Dimora while in Las Vegas. Story from Newsnet 5.com
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