Company executives knew of questionable spending by underlings who paid bribes to win city contract

Detroit Free Press investigative reporter Jennifer Dixon uncovered government documents showing that top executives at Synagro Technologies knew of questionable spending by underlings who paid bribes to win a $1.2-billion city contract in Detroit. The report noted that federal authorities prosecuted the two underlings, who now are in federal prison; but no executives with the Texas-based company have been charged or accused of wrongdoing. Other records indicate that more than a half-dozen city officials and businesspeople had their hands out for Synagro cash. They, too, have not been charged.