Paid consultant to Detroit City Councilman Leland charged with conspiracy to bribe official

DETROIT (WJBK) - By M.L. Elrick
Fox 2 Investigative Reporter

A paid consultant to Detroit City Councilman Gabe Leland has been charged with conspiracy to bribe an unnamed city official.

Elisa Grubbs was charged today in a federal information with bribery conspiracy. An information is way federal prosecutors charge someone with a crime when the person has indicated they will admit to committing the crime. 

The information, filed in U.S. District Court, alleges that Grubbs conspired with "City Official X" to accept thousands of dollars from a local business owner in exchange for City Official X's help with city business. Prosecutors allege that City Official X told Grubbs to meet with the business owner to accept the money for City Official X.

The time period of the alleged payoff and the manner in which the bribe was paid matches with an account Detroit businessman Robert Carmack gave to Fox 2 News earlier this year during an exclusive interview in which Carmack alleged that Leland demanded $15,000 to help him with a dispute Carmack had with the city.

Carmack said he met with a woman who worked for Leland and gave her $7,500 that she said she would give to Leland. Carmack said that Leland later confirmed receiving the money.

Carmack said he was wearing a wire for the FBI at the time he made the payment. Fox 2 later reported that a federal grand jury was investigating Leland.

Leland and his attorney Steve Fishman have denied wrongdoing.

Grubbs' attorney has not returned messages Fox 2 left with her this morning.

Leland's campaign finance reports show that he made two $750 payments to Grubbs for "consulting fees." The payments were made on Dec. 11, 2017 and Feb. 2.

Carmack also included his allegations against Leland in a federal lawsuit. Carmack's attorney Andrew Patterson released a statement on the charge against Grubbs: 

Fishman declined comment on the Grubbs charge.