AKRON, OH (WOIO) -
Michael Forlani has stayed mostly out of the headlines, but a man who was a behind the scenes mover and shaker was in court Tuesday and his crimes are being laid out before he's sentenced.
Forlani is a guy whose case included taped recordings of Jimmy Dimora warning that if he swung a job to his company that they'd haul him into federal court. And of Forlani telling Frank Russo, "They're not gonna kill us, only the good die young. And we're not good."
As he approached 19 Action New's camera, Forlani wise-cracked, "You gotta be kiddin' me if I'm the star of this show."
Forlani was the star, and admitted briber who bought influence with politicians to get work for his company, Doan Pyramid. His taped conversations with Dimora about his "sponsoring" Dimora - translation bribing him almost comical. After Dimora couldn't win him a $12 million dollar contract at the Juvenile Justice Center he told Dimora, "I have to get my resignation as a sponsor now based on the events of today." In a later call, Dimora addressed sponsorship saying, "Yeah, until the next bidding process comes up."
Prosecutors say Forlani heaped nearly $91,000 on Dimora and his family. Home improvements, cell phones and cars. $38,000 on Maple Heights School Board President Sandy Klimkowsi, tens of thousands on J. Kevin Kelley. The list goes on and on.
The hearing is expected to take at least a couple of days. The witness list isn't available, but among those expected to be here are more bribe givers and takers, including Sandy Klimkowski and Sabra Pierce Scott - the former Cleveland Councilwoman. And possibly the ever-elusive J. Kevin Kelley.
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Michael Forlani
