Former Taylor Mayor Richard Sollars, 49, has pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit bribery and wire fraud.
Sollars pleaded guilty Tuesday (Aug. 22) to charges in connection with the city of Taylor’s Right of First Refusal (ROFR) program.
Officials said he was also involved in a scheme to defraud donors to Sollars’ election campaign account by fraudulently using donated funds for his personal benefit.
Court records indicated that between 2016 and 2018, Sollars exercised his authority and influence as mayor and recommended to the Taylor City Council that Award’s company, Realty Transition, be awarded the majority of the tax-foreclosed properties the city had or would acquire under its ROFR program.
The ROFR program was designed to allow Taylor to acquire tax-foreclosed properties from Wayne County for redevelopment.
Officials say that the 49-year-old recommended Realty Transition for the program with intentions to be influenced and rewarded by the free home renovations and other items of value that Award provided to Sollars for his personal residence, office, and lake house.
As part of the elections efforts, Sollars established a campaign account named Committee to Elect Richard Sollars, Jr. He used a scheme to defraud his donors by fraudulently using funds that were donated for his personal benefit rather than for his political campaign.
Court documents indicate that Sollars directed his campaign treasure to provide him with a signed blank check from his campaign account. He then made that check payable to Dominick’s Market for $5,600, purporting to represent payment for catering services provided to the campaign.
Dominick’s Market Owner, Hadir Altoon, prepared a false invoice purporting to reflect a bill for $5,600 in catering services for a 2018 Suber Bowl party at City Hall.
Sollars knew that Dominick’s Market did not provide catering services worth $5,600 and instead cashed the campaign check and gave some of the money to the ex-mayor and instead cashed the campaign check and gave some of the money to him for personal use.
“Sollars, as the Mayor of the City of Taylor, betrayed the trust of the citizens and the voters who supported him by awarding city contracts and spending campaign funds for his personal gain,” said U.S. Attorney Dawn Ison. “Today’s plea represents my office’s commitment to hold accountable those elected officials who place their own greed above of their duties to the citizens in the community.”
“The former Mayor effectively eroded the faith of those who entrusted him with his office,” said Devin J. Kowalski, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Detroit Field Office. “No one is above the law, and the FBI remains committed to combatting public corruption and following the facts wherever they may lead.”
The bribery conspiracy count carries a maximum sentence of five years and a fine of up to $250,000.
The wire fraud count carries a maximum sentence of 20 years and a fine of up to $250,000.
A sentencing date has yet to be set, but under that plea agreement, Sollars could serve up to 71 months in federal prison.
