Fresh details surface about a months-long criminal investigation of Macomb County's elected prosecutor and his handling of seized assets.
Eric Smith has little to smile about.
(Photo from WDIV video)
"We now know Michigan State Police are investigating . . . Eric Smith for possible embezzlement," Jim Kiertzner of WXYZ discloses.
We've been trying for weeks to find out what Michigan State Police obtained in two raids. . . . A Judge ruled [Monday] morning that those return tabulations of evidence taken and search warrants that were given to Smith are public documents. . . .
The documents show state police are investigating four off-book bank accounts dating back to 2011 that held close to $2 million in crime forfeiture funds that were controlled only by . . . Smith.
Search warrants show detectives who searched his Mt. Clemens office in April and Macomb Township home in May wanted "any and all records and documents . . . related to the crime of embezzlement."
Investigators also took cellphones and computers used by Smith's top two lieutenants, Christina Hall writes in the Free Press.
County auditors found the secret bank accounts last year. Forfeiture proceeds from seizures of vehicles, drug-related cash and check fraud restitution programs now are depsited by the county treasurer.
