DETROIT – The Detroit businessman who hired private investigators to follow Mayor Mike Duggan was told to turn himself in to police Wednesday after warrants were issued for fraud.
Carmack was the talk of the town after accusing Duggan of having an affair and showing video from private investigators at Detroit City Hall.
The next week, Duggan held a press conference saying Carmack was extorting him to try to settle property lawsuits with the city, including a plot of land on Melville Street that Carmack sold last year for $1 million.
"Carmack took the old draft documents from back in 2007 and used them to fraudulently misrepresent that he did own the property," Duggan said. "The city of Detroit's law department became aware of the apparently fraudulent sale, and so the law department filed this lawsuit against Carmack on June 1, 2018."
Carmack said the city stole the property from him and then sent the deed to Melville to him as a consolation. He went to several public meetings trying to clear up the property dispute.
When city officials wouldn't give him back the riverfront property, he sold the Melville plot, and now he's charged with three counts of uttering and publishing and one count of obtaining money under false pretenses, officials said.
Carmack has made arrangements to turn himself in Thursday morning. He is expected to be arraigned via video at 36th District Court.
When Detroit police brought the case to Wayne County, Prosecutor Kym Worthy recused herself and referred the case to Genesee County. Prosecutors there reviewed the case and asked a judge to sign the arrest warrants, officials said.
Carmack spoke Wednesday morning with Local 4 Defender Kevin Dietz.
"We've just learned that there have been four felony warrants signed for your arrest," Kevin said.
"I can't comment at this time," Carmack said. "You'd have to talk to my attorney."
"Does it surprise you that this happened just after you rented the Jumbotron and embarrassed the mayor?" Kevin asked.
"I tell you, my attorney told me not to talk," Carmack said. "He told me to say no comment at this period of time."
"Later, can we talk to your attorney, or will you talk to us after at an appropriate time?" Kevin asked.
"Exactly," Carmack said. "I'll have my attorney call you and so forth and try to move forward with this situation that I'm in."