Grosse Pointe Farms businessman Anthony Soave told federal agents he bribed ex-Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick with private flights, helped mistress Christine Beatty lease a Land Rover and spent money on New York City shopping trips and $10,000 worth of Detroit Pistons tickets for Kilpatrick, according to paperwork filed in federal court late Wednesday.
Robert Snell of the Detroit News reports the alleged bribes were paid to win city contracts worth millions, according to court records.
The filing, by a lawyer for former Detroit water boss Victor Mercado, includes new details about a key government witness, who used to be a close friend of Kilpatrick's, and reveals information about alleged bribes paid by businessmen to win city contracts.
Later Thursday, the Free Press reported that Soave's lawyer says Soave was extorted, and that he did not pay bribes.
