TOLEDO — Federal prosecutors say four Toledo City Council members and a private attorney took part in a bribery and extortion scheme, soliciting and accepting cash and other things of value from business owners in exchange for favorable votes on issues before the council.
Tyrone Riley, Yvonne Harper, Larry Sykes, and Garrick “Gary” Johnson, all Democrats who serve on the council, were taken into custody Tuesday by federal agents.
Keith Mitchell, an attorney in Toledo who Harper allegedly used to solicit and funnel bribe payments through, remains at large.
All five defendants face bribery and extortion charges.
According to the office of Justin Herdman, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio, the FBI began to investigate Toledo City Council members in 2018 for soliciting payments from local business owners in exchange for their votes on matter such as permits.
In addition, Harper was investigated for an extortion attempt on a local business owner whose tenant allegedly used racial slurs when interacting with one of Harper’s constituents. The business owner eventually paid the constituent $2,500.