Wayne County Confidential

  • Wayne County officials play hard to get with public information

    Wayne County officials play hard to get with public information
    It’s a building taxpayers bought and paid for, so why did Wayne County officials put up so many roadblocks when Channel 7 asked to see their new headquarters? Action News Investigator Heather Catallo has more on the lengths one county will go to to keep public information private. Read more
  • Shadowy non-profit fund pays for Ficano and other county officials' trade missions

    Shadowy non-profit fund pays for Ficano and other county officials' trade missions
    Some of Wayne County's top officials are traveling the world to promote trade, but who's picking up the tab for these junkets? And what are they spending the money on when they land overseas? Action News Investigator Heather Catallo went to the county executive looking for answers. Read more
  • Millions in taxpayer road funds misspent, former Wayne County official, others allege

    Millions in taxpayer road funds misspent, former Wayne County official, others allege
    It’s a distinction Wayne county officials aren’t very proud of: the worst roads in the state. But has the county been diverting millions of dollars that could have been used to help fix those roads? Read more
  • As Wayne County commission promises hearings, Ficano insists no road funds misused

    As Wayne County commission promises hearings, Ficano insists no road funds misused
    Are Wayne County road dollars being misused by the millions? That’s the allegation made by a former top county official, and you saw it in scott lewis’s latest investigation. And now, some county commissioners are taking notice and demanding answers. Read more
  • INSIDERS: Amidst major budget cuts, Wayne County Exec's staff much larger than he claims

    INSIDERS: Amidst major budget cuts, Wayne County Exec's staff much larger than he claims
    Facing a $160 million dollar deficit, Wayne County officials are slashing their upcoming budget and everything is on the table. But while he demands sacrifice, is the county executive hiding his highly-paid staffers? Read more
  • Wayne County residents give Ficano an earful as commissioner turns up the heat

    Wayne County residents give Ficano an earful as commissioner turns up the heat
    Wednesday night, Scott Lewis and the Action News Investigators exposed what insiders call a Wayne County shell game: county executive employees and salaries hidden in budgets where they do little to no work. Read more
  • Wayne County residents give Ficano an earful as commissioner turns up the heat

    Wayne County residents give Ficano an earful as commissioner turns up the heat
    Wednesday night, Scott Lewis and the Action News Investigators exposed what insiders call a Wayne County shell game: county executive employees and salaries hidden in budgets where they do little to no work. Read more
  • Amidst $150 million deficit, Wayne County director walks with $200,000 severance

    Amidst $150 million deficit, Wayne County director walks with $200,000 severance
    We may be on the verge of another recession, but for at least one Wayne County employee, it feels like the good old days. Read more
  • Paid $200,000 to leave struggling Wayne County, executive says she's worth every penny

    Paid $200,000 to leave struggling Wayne County, executive says she's worth every penny
    It’s the talk of the town: the sweet golden parachute given to a top Wayne County official, just for voluntarily leaving her job. Now, Turkia Mullin is responding to the Action News report that sent shockwaves throughout the county. Read more
  • Mullin's $200k severance promised in undated, seven-sentence letter

    Mullin's $200k severance promised in undated, seven-sentence letter
    Turkia Mullin is finally turning over documents Action News has been asking for since last week. They have legal experts and county officials scratching their heads and us asking: Has Wayne County been giving us the straight story? Read more
  • Kept in the dark, Wayne County Commission turns up the heat on Ficano over secret severance deals

    Kept in the dark, Wayne County Commission turns up the heat on Ficano over secret severance deals
    n Action News Investigation triggered a special hearing at the Wayne County Commission today. The commissioners are demanding to know how the county’s economic development chief walked away with $200,000 in severance just for taking a higher paying job at the airport…Read more
  • Ficano dodges questions over Mullin's $200k payment

    Ficano dodges questions over Mullin's $200k payment
    For the first time since the Action News Investigators broke the story of a pricey payout to one of the Wayne County Executives top appointees, Robert Ficano faced questions today. Read more
  • Commissioner calls severance letter a "cover-up," wants firings instead of suspensions

    Commissioner calls severance letter a "cover-up," wants firings instead of suspensions
    One Wayne County Commissioner says suspensions just aren’t enough in the county's widening severance scandal. She says the county made decisions to deceive taxpayers and she wants heads to roll. Read more
  • Ficano announces suspensions and termination over Turkia Mullin severance payout

    Ficano announces suspensions and termination over Turkia Mullin severance payout
    Wayne County Executive Robert Ficano announced at a press conference Friday that his second in command and the county's top lawyer will be suspended immediately over the $200,000 severance scandal. Read more
  • Protestors want Wayne County Executive Robert Ficano to step down

    Protestors want Wayne County Executive Robert Ficano to step down
    The Wayne County severance scandal is prompting protestors to call for Robert Ficano to step down. Read more
  • Michigan AG: FBI investigating Wayne County Executive's office

    Michigan AG: FBI investigating Wayne County Executive's office
    State legislators and protesters have been calling for Michigan’s Attorney General to investigate Wayne County in the wake of the severance scandal first exposed by Action News but now the Attorney General confirms he won’t be taking the case because the FBI is already investigating. Read more
  • FBI serves subpoenas at Wayne County headquarters

    FBI serves subpoenas at Wayne County headquarters
    he Action News Investigators have learned that three teams of agents for the FBI showed up at the Wayne County headquarters in downtown Detroit Wednesday afternoon. Read more
  • FBI subpoena focuses on Elder, Mullin, IT chief and local companies

    FBI subpoena focuses on Elder, Mullin, IT chief and local companies
    The FBI has subpoenaed records focusing on suspended Wayne County Deputy CEO Azzam Elder, former economic development czar Turkia Mullin, information technology chief Tahir Kazmi and companies associated with the non-profit Wayne County Business Development Corporation. Read more
  • Plymouth attorney files recall petition against Ficano

    Plymouth attorney files recall petition against Ficano
    Under scrutiny from every news organization in town, a probe by the Wayne County Commission, and now the FBI, Bob Ficano didn’t need any more bad news - but he got some. Read more
  • Attorney Tom Cranmer retained by Wayne County

    Attorney Tom Cranmer retained by Wayne County
    Attorney Tom Cranmer has been hired to represent Wayne County during the FBI investigation into some of Wayne County Executive Robert Ficano’s executives and the non-profit Wayne County Business Development Corporation. Read more
  • Treasurer and CFO to be questioned by Wayne County Commission

    Treasurer and CFO to be questioned by Wayne County Commission
    The severance scandal will be the subject of another special meeting this Thursday. Read more
  • Wayne County Commissioners want to get to the bottom of the severance scandal

    Wayne County Commissioners want to get to the bottom of the severance scandal
    Wayne County Commissioners will be asking tough questions at Thursday’s special meeting to get to the bottom of a scandalous severance payout. Read more
  • Mullin pays back severance money to Wayne County

    Mullin pays back severance money to Wayne County
    Wayne County Executive Robert Ficano just announced that Turkia Mullin paid back $135,900 to Wayne County. Read More
  • Asst. Wayne County CEO Grundy suspended as FBI probe expands to kickback allegation

    Asst. Wayne County CEO Grundy suspended as FBI probe expands to kickback allegation
    Wayne County Asst. CEO Mike Grundy has been suspended by County Executive Robert Ficano, it was disclosed today. Grundy will be paid while on leave. Read more
  • Another non-profit fund linked to Turkia Mullin, Ficano administration

    Another non-profit fund linked to Turkia Mullin, Ficano administration
    The 7 Action News Investigators were the first to report on the controversial non-profit fund that is now subject to an FBI probe. Now, 7 Action News Investigator Heather Catallo has uncovered new details about another non-profit with ties to the Ficano Administration. Read more
  • Mullin paid $16,500 as head of 2nd Wayne County non-profit

    Mullin paid $16,500 as head of 2nd Wayne County non-profit
    In an upate to a story the 7 Action News Investigators brought to you Thursday night , a spokesperson for Wayne County says Turkia Mullin was paid $16,500 for her work as the Executive Director of the Wayne County Regional Jobs and Economic Growth Foundation. Read more
  • Metro Airport's board votes to fire CEO Turkia Mullin

    Metro Airport's board votes to fire CEO Turkia Mullin
    Drama erupted at a special meeting of the Wayne County Airport Authority where the Airport Board voted to terminate CEO Turkia Mullin. Read more
  • Mullin says her termination was wrongful, says she is looking for a legal remedy

    Mullin says her termination was wrongful, says she is looking for a legal remedy
    Turkia Mullin has issued a statement regarding her termination as CEO of Metro Airport. Read more
  • Lawsuit alleges Turkia Mullin wanted $170k in regulated funds diverted to non-profit that paid herRead more: http://www.wxyz.com/dpp/news/local_news/investigations/lawsuit-alleges-turkia-mullin-wanted-%24170%2C000-in-regulated-fees-diverted-to-non-profit-

    Lawsuit alleges Turkia Mullin wanted $170k in regulated funds diverted to non-profit that paid herRead more: http://www.wxyz.com/dpp/news/local_news/investigations/lawsuit-alleges-turkia-mullin-wanted-%24170%2C000-in-regulated-fees-diverted-to-non-profit-
    A former Wayne County economic development employee who worked for Turkia Mullin says he was pressured to funnel money meant for a federal program into a non-profit fund that, in part, paid Mullin $75,000 in salary. Read more
  • Turkia Mullin may have more to worry about than losing her job at Detroit Metro Airport

    Turkia Mullin may have more to worry about than losing her job at Detroit Metro Airport
    Turkia Mullin’s firing comes after a month of controversy about one of Wayne County’s most powerful women. And while Mullin may now be out of a job – she could have much bigger problems on the horizon. Read more
  • Fired Metro Airport CEO Turkia Mullin to fight for job

    Fired Metro Airport CEO Turkia Mullin to fight for job
    The next step for Turkia Mullin is likely arbitration. Her contract as CEO of Metro Airport calls for arbitration in case of termination. Read more