Kwame Kilpatrick could be 71 years-old once he is released from prison. According to reports, the former mayor of Detroit was found guilty on 24 charges that include racketeering, extortion, bribery, and filing false tax returns.
Prosecutors said Kilpatrick, his father Bernard, and contractor Bobby Ferguson were operating a criminal enterprise during Kwame’s tenure as mayor. It’s reported that Kilpatrick steered $127 million worth of contracts to Ferguson. He also spent $840,000 more than he earned as mayor including $389,000 in travel expenses on his private jet.
Kilpatrick became mayor of Detroit at 31-years-old and was known as the “Hip-Hop Mayor.” But his downfall began after it was discovered that he was having an affair due to cell phone records on city-issued phones.
His sentence is one of the harshest given to a former public official.
