Ex-Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick Accuses Prosecutors Of ‘Extortion’ Over Restitution Fight

Former Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick has issued a grievance against federal prosecutors for their handling of his racketeering case.

Prosecutors have reportedly remained on the hunt for money Kilpatrick owes from a 2013 racketeering conviction. Although the disgraced politician was found guilty of the conspiracy charges, he says prosecutors have engaged in corruption of their own by bullying his family.

In a federal court filing his-family-restitution-battle-detroit-city-hall-corruption-scandal/89420111007/?gnt-cfr=1&gca-cat=p&gca-uir=false&gca-epti=z119055p11xx50l002850c11xx50e009000v119055&gca-ft=121&gca-ds=sophi">obtained by The Detroit News, Kilpatrick urged the release of a $13,000 hold on accounts that prosecutors have frozen to pay off his $823,649 left in restitution. However, Kilpatrick says that the money does not belong to him. Instead, the money sits in an account belonging to Pathfinder Consulting Firm LLC., in which his wife, LaTicia, serves as resident agent. The firm also has a nearly 4,000-square-foot home in its name.

Despite his claims, prosecutors say the money and home actually belong to Kilpatrick, making it viable for a federal seizure. In the filing, Kilpatrick pushed back against these claims, further asserting that the money is not up for the prosecutors’ grab.

He also disclosed that, amid federal pressure, he and his wife had to withdraw their children from school. He then suggested that leaked documents squandered potential speaking engagements, leaving his financial state in more peril.

“The freezing of this account and the lack of access to my financial resources for nearly four months stands as a travesty of justice,” Kilpatrick wrote. “Not only have we had to remove our children from school. But the deleterious effect of the leaked documents, conversations about sealed documents filed to the court has worked to chill invitations for speaking engagements.”

He called the prosecutor’s actions a “malicious enforcement” to reclaim the money owed, further arguing that his wife and her finances are under no obligation to pay off the restitution. He called the matter “akin to extortion” as prosecutors attempt to freeze any assets

associated with the former mayor.

“LaTicia is not under any federal court jurisdiction, has never committed a crime, nor is she currently involved in any matter with any state or federal court,” he added. “This is bullying at best, but much more akin to extortion.”

Kilpatrick inked a secret deal with the federal government to pay back the stolen taxpayer dollars, an agreement that has since been made public as his legal fight wages on.

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