DETROIT – Former Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick and Bobby Ferguson were denied their requests to end their supervised release.
Kilpatrick served more than seven years of a 28-year prison sentence for corruption crimes before he was released from federal prison in 2021. Ferguson was granted compassionate release from prison a few months after Kilpatrick’s release due to “extraordinary and compelling reasons warranting a sentence reduction in this case.”
The two were described as a team who committed bribery, extortion and other crimes. Ferguson was sentenced to 21 years in prison after being convicted of extorting millions of dollars during his time as a contractor in Detroit.
Both men asked a federal judge to allow them to step away from supervised release so they can resume their lives. A judge denied both of their requests.
Judge Nancy Edmunds noted in her decision that Kilpatrick has paid about $5,000 to the city and still owes $192,403.61 of restitution to the IRS. She noted that Kilpatrick has a history of spending his money on a lavish lifestyle rather than paying off his obligations.
She said Kilpatrick and his wife sought to raise $800,000 to purchase a home in a gated, luxury community in Orlando, Florida. The effort was canceled, but she said it demonstrates a desire to resume his former lifestyle rather than a focus on repaying the debts he owes.
Ferguson said he followed his probation and mentored others after getting out of prison. The judge said he owes more than $2.5 million to Detroit and is currently paying $100 a month.
She said she has not identified any new or unforeseen circumstances that would warrant early termination of the supervision.