“The people of Yonkers were taken for a ride by Mike Khader.”
Council President Lakisha Collins-Bellamy
On the heels of an independent report that showed former City Council President Mike Khader illegally used taxpayer dollars in order to get free rent and office services for his law practice, Council President Lakisha Collins Bellamy said Khader should reimburse the City for the $29,000 value of those ill gotten gains.
“This report is troubling, to say the least,” said Collins Bellamy, “In great detail, and using multiple sworn witness statements, it documents a scheme in which Khader gave $240,000 in no-bid contracts to a local law firm firm that then provided him up to $29,000 worth of free rent and office services over a two year period.”
“I will leave potential criminal prosecution up to the District Attorney, but Mike Khader at the very least needs to reimburse the City for the free rent and office services for his law practice that in reality were paid for by the taxpayers of Yonkers.”
Khader’s scheme had been referred to Yonkers Inspector General Liam McLaughlin for investigation. McLaughlin then had the investigation conducted independently in order to avoid an appearance of conflict of interest, since Khader and McLaughlin had previously been political opponents.
The 40 page report, plus sworn depositions, was conducted by the law firm of Ogletree Deakins and Global Security and Investigation Services. It concluded that Khader violated not only the City’s Ethics Code but also Article 200 of the State Penal Code, and recommended it be referred for action on both.
It found that Khader granted $240,000 in no bid contracts to the local law firm of Smith Buss Jacobs, and in a case of quid pro quo, was provided free rent and office services at the firm for his own law practice. The report said it was also at times unclear how much service the firm even provided to the City in return for the payments.
“This is a blue ribbon report and the results are damning,” said Collins Bellamy, “The people of Yonkers were taken for a ride by Mike Khader.”
The report also investigated claims that Khader created a hostile work environment towards women in his council president’s office. The report said it found multiple examples of disparate treatment by Khader toward women.
The report also said Khader appeared to have made false and misleading statements under oath to the investigators by claiming that he not only did not maintain a law office, but that he did not practice law during the years in question. Multiple witness statements, plus documented court appearances and filings by Khader during that time, proved otherwise.
