WAYNE COUNTY, Mich. – A West Bloomfield man is facing a federal charge for his alleged role in a scheme to get millions of dollars in investment funds for a proposed sports complex in Romulus.
Kenneth Bardwell, 66, was charged with one count of wire fraud. He is the operator of Motown Sports Group Holding, Inc. and several related business entities.
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According to federal officials, in 2018, Bardwell solicited and received millions of dollars from investors for a $3 billion sports and entertainment complex in Romulus near the Detroit Metro Airport.
Bardwell told investors that their money would be used to buy land and develop the project. If the land could not be purchased, investors were told the money would be returned to them from an escrow account.
Federal prosecutors allege that Bardwell made no effort to buy the land to develop the project. Instead, he allegedly spent most of the investor funds on gentlemen’s clubs, luxury retail goods, rental car and lifestyle expenses for himself and his associates.
The FBI is searching for anyone who may have invested money with Motown Sports Group Holdings, Inc., or with Bardwell. More information can be found here.