Land bank contractor charged by attorney general for false billing

DETROIT - A new twist in Detroit's demolition saga.

Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette is slapping a contractor with felony charges accusing him of overbilling the Detroit Land Bank.

ADR Consulting President Barry Ellentuck is being charged with felony attempted false pretenses. He had been hired as the go between with the state and city on the demolition project.

Ellentuck, 53 of West Bloomfield, had also been hired by the Michigan Land Bank to do some demolition work.

He is accused of billing the city of Detroit of at least $5,500 for work he allegedly did not do and pressuring his employees to file receipts for that work.

Charlie LeDuff has more on this developing story.

WEB EXTRA: The ADR has issued a statement on the charges after FOX 2's report aired.

"ADR Consultants, LLC has just learned of the press release issued by the Attorney General's office and is reviewing the same.  Preliminarily, ADR and its managing member, Barry Ellentuck, categorically deny the allegations as untrue and intend to vigorously defend themselves.  We are confident that this politically motivated attack on ADR and Mr. Ellentuck will be resolved in their favor."