Ex-Inkster Mayor Pleads Guilty to Agreeing to Accept $100,000 Bribe

Ex-Mayor Patrick Wimberly

Former Inkster Mayor Patrick Wimberly pleaded guilty Wednesday in federal court to agreeing to acceptting a $100,000 bribe from someone interested in buying a city property.

Authorities alleged that from 2023. In the spring of 2022, Wimberly, 50, demanded n cash payments from a person the feds only referred to in court documents as "Person A."

Over several months, "Person A' gave Wimberly monthly cash bribes to secure the purchase of this property, authorities said. The monthly payments were initially $5,000 and later rose to $10,000.

During conversations with Person A and his associates, the mayor assured them he could control the city council vote for the sale and use of the property, according to the indictment filed in October 2023.  

In total, Person A provided $50,000 in cash to Wimberly for the purpose of winning the bid for the property. 

“Public officials who act in their own best interests, motivated by greed, betray the trust of their communities and the general public,” U.S. Attorney Dawn Ison said in a statement.