Former county employee-turned-consultant gave Jimmy Dimora cash

Former county employee-turned-consultant gave Jimmy Dimora cash, funded gambling trip with women

By: Ken Trump, newsnet5.com
AKRON, Ohio - A former county engineer’s office employee-turned-consultant testified late Monday afternoon that he gave former county commissioner Jimmy Dimora $2,000 in cash and funded a November 2003, gambling trip to Casino Windsor attended by Dimora, former auditor Frank Russo and others.

Daniel Gallagher retired as chief of staff for the Cuyahoga County engineer's office in 2002 and formed his own consulting business, The Eagle Group, so he could receive $3,250 per month as a consultant from a developer. He was lured as a consultant by developer K&D Group because they believed he “had some real influences with the commissioners,” Gallagher testified.

Gallagher told jurors the K&D Group paid him so "that I could lobby officials on their behalf" to keep the county engineer's offices located at Stonebridge Center location on the west bank of the Flats. K&D built Stonebridge and did not want the engineer's office at the Ameritrust Building, he said.

Kevin Payne, then-chief of staff for the engineer's office, took half of the $3,250 per month Gallagher received as K&D's consultant, Gallagher said. Payne was charged in the federal corruption probe but has since died.

Gallagher said during his years of county employment he became close to Samir Mohammad, who worked for former Cuyahoga County Recorder Pat O'Malley but had “aspirations of becoming county administrator.”

Gallagher testified Mohammad gave him $20,000 that was then later used to give Dimora $2,000 in cash during the Windsor gambling trip.

During the Windsor trip, Gallagher said he met Dimora in a hotel cafeteria area with Russo and Payne present.

“I handed him $2,000 in cash so he would keep Samir Mohammad in mind for county administrator,” Gallagher testified. Gallagher said Dimora put the money in his pocket, did not refuse the money and did not have a look of shock.

Gallagher was asked by Assistant U.S. Attorney Antoinette Bacon why he only gave money to Dimora and not the other two commissioners who would also have to vote on the administrator's job.

"Because Mr. Dimora would take the cash," Gallagher replied.

He said Payne, who had been holding the money after Gallagher first got it from Mohammad, gave the money to Gallagher so he could give it to Dimora. Gallagher said he gave it to Dimora because Mohammad wanted to make sure Dimora got the money, and Payne wanted Gallagher to give it to Dimora “so it would increase my status with Mr. Dimora and he would like me more,” Gallagher said.

Two women were picked up on the way to Windsor by Payne and Gallagher, who rode with Payne instead of riding in limousines Payne provided for Dimora, Russo, J. Kevin Kelley, Steven Pumper, attorney Anthony Calabrese Jr., and Bob Rybak, according to Gallagher.

Gallagher said Payne picked him up first and then, originally unknown to Gallagher, Payne picked up the first woman who Gallagher described as "35, blonde, short." On the way to Canada, they stopped in a Toledo area parking lot and picked up the second woman who Gallagher described as a, "taller, younger black female" whose nickname was "Egypt."

When they arrived at the Casino Windsor hotel in Windsor, Ontario, Canada, Gallagher said Dimora, Russo and the others were already at the gambling tables. He testified that they went to a gaming table, the women were introduced to Dimora.

Dimora then left the table and "went away with Egypt," Gallagher told jurors.

Later on the group went to dinner, Gallagher testified. He said the women did not attend the dinner but came in and informed the group they would be a specific room in the hotel, and would be "available if anyone wanted to avail their services."

Federal prosecutor Bacon at one point asked Gallagher what benefits he gained from participating in this scheme.

"I was on a mission," Gallagher responded. "Mr. Dimora was the most powerful person in Cuyahoga County. I was a consultant. I would get closer to him and this would insure a closer relationship."

At the end of trip, Gallagher said he left in Payne's car with Kelley and Calabrese. He said they dropped off "Egypt" back in Toledo on the way home to Cleveland.

Gallagher said once he was back in Cleveland, "I told Mr. Mohammad that his money was first well spent. I told him about the women. I told him about the dinner. And I told him about myself giving Mr. Dimora the money."

Mohammad eventually began to realize the county administrator job would likely not become his and began to question why he gave away the $20,000, Gallagher said. "Payne said he'll get his money. He never did," Gallagher testified.

Gallagher said his desire to get closer to Dimora appeared to work.

"Mr. Dimora acknowledged me much more readily when he saw me at events. Smile, greet me, more warmth," Gallagher told jurors.

But once the FBI raids for the county corruption probe hit, things went downhill for Gallagher. He said Mohammad came to Gallagher to destroy the hard drive on Gallagher's computer.

"What did you do to destroy it?" asked

federal prosecutor Bacon.

"Hit it with a sledgehammer," Gallagher responded.

FBI Special Agents Michael Massie and Christine Oliver later paid Gallagher a visit at his home. He called an attorney, decided to cooperate with the government and offered to testify in their cases.

Gallagher was charged with eight federal crimes including bribery, conspiracy, destroying evidence and filing false tax reports. He was charged along with Kelley, Payne and Brian Schuman of the Alternatives Agency, and pleaded guilty in July, 2009.

As a part of his plea deal, Gallagher had to wear a wire and is expected to testify in two other cases in the corruption probe.

The "best case scenario" he faces, Gallagher said, is 57 months in prison and payment of $87,000 in restitution. He has already paid in full back taxes owed to the IRS.

"I'm more hurt by what I've done to my children and my family. I wake up every day to a fear of the unknown and what is going to happen," Gallagher said.

During cross-examination by defense attorneys for Dimora and co-defendant Michael Gabor, Gallagher acknowledged having been a "binge drinker" and consuming up to half bottle of vodka at a time by himself. He first claimed he was not drinking on the Windsor trip but then acknowledged that, "I may have had a drink or two but I was not binge drinking," at the time.

Gallagher also admitted he had lied on a county application by saying he had a college degree when he did not have a degree. He said one reason he tried to help Mohammad was because Mohammad had held off an unidentified person who threatened to reveal to the media Gallagher's application misrepresentation.

Also during cross-examination, Gallagher admitted making up to $40,000 in bribes and related illegal money. The money came from projects including a $15,000 construction contract kickback filtered through Gallagher for a Parma City School District project and money received from now-deceased contractor Tony Ma's firm, Broma Information Technologies.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Bacon at one point asked Gallagher if he could best be described as a "bagman" since much of the illegal money was passed through him rather than staying in his possession. But defense attorney Leif Christman, who got Gallagher to acknowledge that his client Michael Gabor was not part of this scheme, suggested "bagman" was an understatement for someone who profited $40,000 in one year.

Gallagher began his work with the county as an adult probation officer and supervisor for 24 years. In 1998 he did a brief stint as chief of staff in the county recorder’s office, leaving after 22 months to assume the same position for the county engineer.

Mohammad never was selected as county administrator, but did later go on to be chief of staff for Russo.

Dimora and co-defendant Michael Gabor have maintained their innocence of all federal charges. Mohammad and Calabrese Jr. have also maintained their innocence and will have separate upcoming court proceedings.

Continue to follow newsnet5.com and NewsChannel5 for ongoing developments in the trial.



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