Cuyahoga County Corruption All-Stars' Life in Federal Prison

Posted By Vince Grzegorek vgrzegorek@clevescene.com> on Mon, Jun 20, 2011 at 3:53 pm

What do you do when used to be a semi-high-level local political mover and shaker
accustomed to bribing officials, taking bribes, doling out multi-million construction
contracts, feasting on steak dinners, and unloading U-Hauls of frivolous but
nevertheless nice gifts and suddenly find that life gone in exchange for years in
federal prison?
The Plain Dealer has the lowdown after William Crosby, a Lakewood lawyer sent
away from his connection to the Cuyahoga County corruption fiasco, dished on life
at "club fed" down in West Virginia. Turns out, it's not all bocce ball and relaxation,
though there's plenty of that. But the Cuyahoga Clique is making the b est of of its
amenities, one small pack of tuna at a time.

The Cuyahoga County contingent reads like a Who's Who of corruption probe
defendants: MetroHealth Medical Center construction manager Tom Greco
and Nilesh Patel, the construction company executive who bribed Greco and
his boss, John Carroll, for business. Dennis Dooley, Dinesh Bafna and attorney
Bruce Zaccagnini, all convicted of bribing then-county Auditor Frank Russo.