Feds accuse Bates of payroll fraud

Detriot News reports:

A federal grand jury Tuesday returned a 13-count indictment against Detroit City Councilman Alonzo Bates, accusing him of stealing nearly $92,000 by padding his office payroll with four "ghost" employees, including his son's mother, his girlfriend's daughter and a gardener.

The government also charged Bates, who earns $81,312 a year as a city councilman, with failure to pay taxes on income of $397,379 earned during his one term on the council, from 2001 until April of this year. Bates was defeated in his bid for re-election last week.

The Detriot way looks like the Chicago way.