Charles T. Busse
An agent with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement – Homeland Security Investigations and a Birmingham attorney, who was formerly a Warren City Councilman, have been charged in a bribery scheme, the U.S. Attorney's Office announced on Thursday.
Authorities charged attorney Charles T. Busse, 58, a former councilman, with paying more than $5,000 in bribes to federal agent Clifton Divers, 48, of Detroit, between 2009 and 2015, to obtain numerous deferrals of deportation and other immigration benefits for his clients. He also faces charges for criminal tax evasion and with violating the federal law that requires an attorney to report any cash payments of more than $10,000.
Agent Divers is charged with taking cash bribes, free legal services and other things of value, the U.S. Attorney's Office said in a press release. Specifically, he is charged with conspiring to impair, obstruct and defeat the lawful function of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security by dishonest means, destruction and falsification of records to obstruct an official investigation by the Office of Inspector General of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
It was not the first time that Busse faced federal criminal charges.
In 2001, the feds indicted Busse, who was then president of the Warren CIty Council, on charges of mail fraud, bribery, extortion and foreign travel in aid of racketeering. The charges related to his time serving as a trustee in 1996 for the Warren Employee's Retirement System. He was eventually acquitted of those charges in 2003.
Federal officials issued statements on the latest case on Thursday.
“Anyone who abuses a federal law enforcement position for personal profit can expect to face serious penalties, including criminal prosecution," Detroit U.S. Attorney Barbara McQuade said.
Giovanni Tiano, special agent in charge of the Detroit office of the Department of Homeland Security – Office of Inspector General said:
“Acts of corruption within the Department of Homeland Security represent a threat to our national security, and the Office of Inspector General is committed to doing everything possible to eradicate those who choose to place our country at risk."
Manny Muriel, special agent in charge of the Detroit IRS Criminal Investigations said:
“This case should serve to reassure the public that the IRS will continue to enforce our nation’s tax laws to protect the integrity of our tax systems and we will take particular interest in cases where someone, for their own personal benefit, attempts to profit from corruption.”
