Crime & Safety

Update: Pat Coyne Accused of Using Bribe Money to Buy Condo, Affidavit Says

Attorney says he will fight bribery charge.

Patrick Coyne, who abruptly  on Friday, was arrested for bribery today and appeared in U.S. District Court.

During his appearance before U.S. District Magistrate William H. Baughman Jr., Coyne was fitted with a GPS ankle monitor to track his whereabouts and was warned his financial transactions will be monitored.

He was released on $50,000 bond. 

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Coyne has not yet been charged. His arrest followed an affidavit signed by an FBI agent. A grand jury is expected to hear the case against him.

His attorney, Craig Weintraub, said he was "shocked" by Coyne's arrest today and indicated Coyne would plead not guilty when he is arraigned.

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Coyne has been implicated in the ongoing Cuyahoga County corruption probe for allegedly taking four $5,000 bribes from Hinckley developer David Terry. Terry pleaded guilty to giving the bribes to a Strongsville councilman who worked for the Cuyahoga County coroner.

Only Coyne fits that description. He was fired from the coroner's office in October.

On Friday, he submitted a one-sentence resignation letter to Council President Mike Daymut. The letter did not give a reason for his resignation.

According to the FBI affidavit by Special Agent Michael W. Haynie, Terry said that, at Coyne's instruction, he wrote $5,000 checks in 2008 to four accounts, including the Strongsville Democratic Club, the Citizens for Pat Coyne and Strongsville Wildcat Baseball, all listing Coyne's home address.

On Jan. 18, 2008, National City Bank used money from those three accounts to issue a bank check for $15,000 to Smuggler's Bay Pointe, a real estate development in Marblehead.

Haynie traced the check and found it was used in the purchase of a condominium for Coyne.

It also says Terry told Haynie in a July 23, 2010 interview that Coyne approached him in January 2008 and asked for money. Terry acknowledged that at the time, he had business dealings in Strongsville that would require the approval of City Council.


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