FBI agents raided Detroit City Hall on Wednesday as part of a growing public corruption investigation.

The homes of city council members Janeé Ayers and Scott Benson and the living spaces of their chiefs of staff and other employees were also targeted as part of a search for evidence related to municipal towing operations and accusations that city officials are receiving bribes, sources told the Detroit Times.

The raids took place roughly three weeks after Councilman André Spivey was arraigned in federal court on a count of conspiracy to commit bribery. Spivey and a staffer were accused of accepting more than $35,000 in bribery payments from 2016 to 2020, and Spivey was released on a $10,000 bond. He has maintained he did nothing wrong.

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“Why are we doing this? Why are we doing these search warrants? The citizens of Detroit have a right to a city government that is free of corruption,” FBI Detroit Special Agent Tim Waters said on Wednesday.

Officials said no new criminal charges were filed on Wednesday.

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Ayers and Benson, both running for reelection, did not immediately issue comments on the raids.

Ayers is working on getting a second, four-year term as an at-large councilwoman in the Nov. 2 general election, while Benson is working toward a third term in District 3 of northeast Detroit.

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Tags: News, FBI, Detroit, Crime

Original Author: Asher Notheis

Original Location: FBI agents raid Detroit City Hall and council member homes