Former Butler County Commissioner indicted for corruption

October 30th, 2009. Former Butler County, Ohio Commissioner Michael Fox was indicted by a grand jury last Thursday for corruption. While serving as county commissioner between 2000 and 2008, Michael Fox is alleged to have conspired with a friend and business owner, Robert Schuler, to secure a contract for Schuler's business and then share the profits. Michael Fox is also alleged to have extorted large sums of money from various local business owners. ^[1]

1 NORMAP Telecommunications
2 Extorting local businesses
3 Arraignment
4 References

[edit] NORMAP Telecommunications

The indictment revolves heavily around Michael Fox's alleged involvement with a close friend and the owner of NORMAP Telecommunications, Robert Schuler. As county commissioner, Fox is said to have used his political influence in order to secure a contract for NORMAP Telecommunications that was worth $1.8 million dollars. ^[2] The contract was for installing fiber optics across Butler County. After the contract was secured for NORMAP, the company was bought by Schuler. As owner of NORMAP, Schuler is alleged to have transferred $360,000 to Fox in 2002 in order to help him pay off his death. Schuler is also said to have transferred $100,000 to a consulting company that was owned by Fox. ^[3]

[edit] Extorting local businesses

The indictment also charges Fox for extorting local business owners in Butler County.^[4]

In 2004, for instance, Fox received $5,000 from the owner of a local transportation company, Universal Transportation Service (UTS). UTS was paid millions by the county between 2001 and 2004 for performance of contract work. The owner of UTS claims that Fox had said the $5.000 dollars was needed for a county health insurance plan for employees.^[5]

[edit] Arraignment

Fox and Schuler are scheduled to be arraigned on November 12th, 2009. ^[6]

[edit] References

v • d • e The Sunshine Review Gazette

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