Jimmy Dimora's corruption trial may be over,
but the Cuyahoga County Corruption investigation continues.
For the next several
months, the focus of the county corruption investigation shifts back to the
federal courthouse in Cleveland where prosecutors are working to untangle the
many schemes the FBI discovered. They'll
plot strategy, interview cooperating witnesses and in June, go back to the Akron
courthouse for the next prosecution.
Samir Mohammed, one of
Frank Russo's right hand men is next up. Prosecutors say he paid Russo for his
job and bribed Russo, Jimmy Dimora and others to get jobs for members of an
Arab American Social organization, Cameo. The organization was headed up by one
of Mohammed's men named Sam Quasm. Mohammed also is accused of rigging
contracts for a countywide mapping system.
A September trial will
target Anthony O. Calabrese. Feds says Calabrese was previously identified in
several big ticket schemes and could be the biggest remaining king of con men.
He'll go on trial with Sanford Prudhof, the former Lorain Development Director.
There is another case
pending against Jimmy Dimora. This time
around, he won't walk into court on his own free will, he'll be driven in a
prison van instead. Michael Forlani, a local businessman will be his
co-defendant.
FBI Chief Steve Anthony
released an interesting statement. It seems to hint that there are new
indictments coming against others. Just another facet of the work being done by
prosecutors in Cleveland.
The question remains, when
will Frank Russo go to prison? Not until all of the above mentioned trials are
over, which is more than a year away.
