Celia Washington, the former legal adviser for the Detroit Police Department, resigned recently after police officials learned she was being investigated by the FBI in a probe involving a prominent tow truck operator and several Detroit cops, The Detroit News reports, citing two unnamed sources.
At the center of the probe is Gasper Fiore, who for years owned several companies that towed vehicles for the city. Fiore was indicted last month on federal charges that he allegedly paid cash bribes to win a towing contract in Clinton Township.
The Detroit Police Department recently decided to suspend the towing permit of Boulevard & Trumbull Towing, Fiore's company.
There have been rumors for years that Detroit police officials took kickbacks from Fiore in exchange for business in the city.
Washington declined to comment to the News when reached Monday. Her attorney, Vincent Toussaint, tells George Hunter of The News, “Ms. Washington had no power to change anything with regard to police-authorized towing. That was the responsibility of the police commissioners.”
Detroit Police Chief James Craig and FBI officials also declined to comment.
Boulevard & Trumbull Towing's website describes it the three-decade-old firm as "Detroit's premiere towing service."
