West Bloomfield Man Charged in Overbilling of Detroit House Demolitions
By Stephen Frye, steve.frye2oakpress.com;, @stevefrye on Twitter
12/16/15, 11:43 AM EST
LANSING — A West Bloomfield man is charged in what the attorney general’s office describes as a scam on the Michigan Land Bank’s efforts to remove abandoned homes in Detroit.
Barry Ellentuck, 53, is the president of ADR Consulting, LLC, and the charges stem from false billing statements ADR sent to the Detroit Land Bank for asbestos abatement letters and other services, Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette announced.
The charges include felony attempted false pretenses with the intent to defraud $1,000 to $20,000, a felony that carries up to two-and-a-half years in prison.
The Michigan Land Bank and ADR had a contract that would pay ADR $55 an hour for demolition services The Michigan Land Bank and Detroit Land Bank work together with an intergovernmental agreement for demolition services in Detroit.
“Upon receiving bills from ADR, the Michigan Land Bank and Detroit Land Bank noticed alleged inconsistencies in the work completed versus hours billed,” Schuette’s office reported in a statement. “Upon returning the bills to Ellentuck for explanation, Ellentuck allegedly pressured an employee to falsify documents to maintain the appearance that the overbilling of more than 100 excess hours to the Detroit Land Bank was accurate.”
Schuette said neither the Michigan Land Bank nor the Detroit Land Bank paid for the overfilled amount.
“As Detroit continues to rebound, it is imperative that we not allow anyone to stand in the way of the progress we are seeing,” said Schuette. “We cannot allow criminal behavior in the new Detroit.”
With an arrest warrant issued, the attorney general’s office has allowed Ellentuck to turn himself in, at which time an arraignment will be set up.
The attorney general’s office noted criminal charge is merely an accusation and the defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
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12/16/15, 11:43 AM EST
LANSING — A West Bloomfield man is charged in what the attorney general’s office describes as a scam on the Michigan Land Bank’s efforts to remove abandoned homes in Detroit.
Barry Ellentuck, 53, is the president of ADR Consulting, LLC, and the charges stem from false billing statements ADR sent to the Detroit Land Bank for asbestos abatement letters and other services, Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette announced.
The charges include felony attempted false pretenses with the intent to defraud $1,000 to $20,000, a felony that carries up to two-and-a-half years in prison.
The Michigan Land Bank and ADR had a contract that would pay ADR $55 an hour for demolition services The Michigan Land Bank and Detroit Land Bank work together with an intergovernmental agreement for demolition services in Detroit.
“Upon receiving bills from ADR, the Michigan Land Bank and Detroit Land Bank noticed alleged inconsistencies in the work completed versus hours billed,” Schuette’s office reported in a statement. “Upon returning the bills to Ellentuck for explanation, Ellentuck allegedly pressured an employee to falsify documents to maintain the appearance that the overbilling of more than 100 excess hours to the Detroit Land Bank was accurate.”
Schuette said neither the Michigan Land Bank nor the Detroit Land Bank paid for the overfilled amount.
“As Detroit continues to rebound, it is imperative that we not allow anyone to stand in the way of the progress we are seeing,” said Schuette. “We cannot allow criminal behavior in the new Detroit.”
With an arrest warrant issued, the attorney general’s office has allowed Ellentuck to turn himself in, at which time an arraignment will be set up.
The attorney general’s office noted criminal charge is merely an accusation and the defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
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Send your thoughts and comments via our online form at bit.ly/OPComments or via e-mail to vop@oakpress.com
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