Former Cleveland demolition bureau chief pleads guilty to extorting, accepting bribes from contract

Former Cleveland demolition bureau chief pleads guilty to extorting, accepting bribes from contractors


CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The city of Cleveland's former demolition bureau chief admitted Tuesday to soliciting and accepting thousands of dollars in bribes from contractors in exchange for a leg up in obtaining city jobs.

Rufus Taylor pleaded guilty to extortion and bribery in a federally funded program.

The 60-year-old, who retired from the city in January after working there for 30 years, gave preferential treatment to two contractors in exchange for information about upcoming projects for demolition and abatement. He and the contractors agreed to take bribes in exchange for the information, and Taylor received cash over several years, authorities say.

Taylor was charged Aug. 24.

The federal government has not identified the contractors. Cleveland.com has asked the city of Cleveland for records related to the case, but the city has not provided them.

Read more: https://www.cleveland.com/court-justice/index.ssf/2018/09/former_cleveland_demolition_bu.html