Man Caught In Bribery Bid For Marijuana Dispensary Pleads Guilty

GARDEN CITY (WWJ) - A man who tried to bribe Garden City's mayor, police chief and council members in a bid to open a medical marijuana dispensary has pleaded guilty to federal charges.

Ali Baydoun, 52, faces five years in prison when he's sentence in April after pleading guilty to bribery and conspiracy charges in federal court in Detroit.

According to court records, from September 2016 through December 2016, Baydoun and two family members conspired with each other to bribe officials from Garden City in order to obtain authorization to open a medical marijuana dispensary in Garden City, and to obtain authorization for a medical marijuana plant grow.

Click here to read the indictment (.pdf format)

Court documents show that on Dec. 2, 2016, Baydoun, along with his brother Mike Baydoun and nephew Jalal Baydoun, delivered an envelope containing $15,000 cash to a city official. Prosecutors say the cash represented three individual bribes in the amount of $5,000 each for three Garden City Council members. Unbeknownst to the Baydouns, the official was working with undercover investigators.

Ali Baydoun also placed $150,000 in an account as escrow to fund future bribes of officials, according to the government.

Jalal Baydoun last month pleaded guilty to bribery and conspiracy charges. He faces sentencing in March. Mike Baydoun is awaiting trial.