Corruption is a fact of life and likely as old as the first civilization. There is something about power that tempts even the most honorable among us, and when you think of how many of us are less full of moral fiber, you understand why corruption flourishes. Government tends to be especially rife with corruption, given the power-money-opportunity trifecta of temptation, but some places seem to be veritable cesspools of dishonesty. For you budding officials, here are the six most corrupt cities in America.
Detroit
Ah, Detroit: city of smokestacks and failure. Nobody thinks of rainbows or unicorns when thinking of Detroit, which is one reason why corruption thrives there. A recent example includes the mayor’s aide who was federally indicted on multiple counts of bribery and extortion involving city property sales. His brother, the deputy mayor, was also involved, as was a Detroit police officer. Of course, Detroit’s corruption claim to fame is not only the numerous public school employees charged for embezzling school funds, but also “Hip-Hop Mayor” Kilpatrick, now in prison after paying close to $9 million to keep officers quiet about his extramarital affair with a city employee. Stay classy, Detroit!
Newark
Speaking of urban blight, how about Newark, New Jersey? It’s so corrupt there’s a page on the city’s website where people can report it, assuming they aren’t afraid of cement shoes. In 2009, Newark’s deputy mayor suddenly “retired” the same week word came out of a massive federal corruption probe. Mayor Booker, who was elected on an anti-corruption platform, had eighty city officials under investigation at the time. Though not all in Newark, 44 people were eventually arrested on charges of corruption and international money-laundering, including the mayors of three nearby New Jersey cities. The story even includes body parts for sale. It doesn’t get any more Jersey than that.
Philadelphia
While looking into New Jersey, the FBI checked Philly out, too. The city was the target of a grand jury investigation of corruption in the city government and police department, which caught at least two high-ranking police department members as well as city officials. A beer distributorship owned by a Philadelphia Licenses and Inspection official and disbarred attorney with ties to mobster Lou “Bent Finger” Monticello was part of the investigation. As if that wasn’t enough, 37 Philadelphia priests are currently being investigated for reports of child molestation.
New Orleans
If New Orleans wasn’t corrupt before Hurricane Katrina, the resulting chaos was enough to pique the interest of the lowest of scumbags in that vulnerable city. A 2007 report stated that public corruption cases had more than quintupled since Katrina hit, with 171 people federally indicted between 2003 and 2007, including a school board president. Now, that’s just shameful.
Las Vegas
Vegas was built by the mob, so it’s not ssurprising that it is one of America’s most corrupt cities. Given the fact that the casinos are 37 of the top 50 city employers, the power structure in Las Vegas is both unique and extremely skewed toward the rich and powerful. The casinos support the city government and exploit eminent domain to gobble up land needed to build more and bigger casinos, with little regard to ordinary citizens. The unusually low police officer per capita rate isn’t helping, ether. Las Vegas always has been, and will continue to be, a place where greed rules.
Chicago
Chicago is arguably the most corrupt city in the United States. It is a city with a long and in-your-face tradition of rampant corruption, which has changed little since the mobster days of the early 20th century. A whopping 385 Chicago officials have been convicted of crimes in the past ten years, including five governors, three of whom have served prison sentences. The mob is still very active in Chicago as well, being home to crime bosses responsible for several high-profile murders. At least they’re keeping their U.S. Attorney busy.
36 comments
Karen
I love America but our country is corrupt so why be surprised about corruption in our cities
Steven Millan
Gigantor tells the truth about Las Vegas' corrupt political system,since previous Mayor Jan Jones restructured the city as a job market filled,family friendly community in the 90s until Mafia lawyer Oscar Goodman got into mayoral office and led three terms as one of America's all-time worst mayor,threatening to beat up people that questioned his authority(including our current President[Barack Obama]),catering to the rich and the mobster clout,crusading against the homeless and yearning to relocate them to a Jean,Nevada-based prison facility(even though Goodman himself is Jewish),closed down the job market,raised the rates of business rentals that resulted in many businesses closing up shop(and transforming half of Vegas into a ghost town),getting lots of local media television time(and having lots of brownnosing media networks catering to him),and had the mysterious death of local car shop owner Buffalo Jim Barrier(who had his Mafia owned strip club neighbor shut down[and put out of business]) occur while under his term in office. Sounds like the current Donald Trump,anyone ?! His wife(and current mayor) Carolyn(who's on her second term) isn't any better,with a majority of the job market catered to downtown Las Vegas while the rest of Vegas deteriorates. And the inept lawyers-turned-judges aren't any better,with the judges allowing court appointed trust fund holders to rob their elderly and handicapped patients blind of their financial savings. Too bad that our U.S. Attorney General is too busy with Chicago to glance upon Vegas,where he'd find plenty of numerous rascals to place behind bars.
Michael
Grew up in Chicago and one thing is for sure. To keep my mouth shut about everything.
John Chinn
It isn't just Big Cities. In Virginia we have a small city where the council and maybe even the police chief look the other way as so called restaurants terrorize neighborhoods. Go to the State for help . My God they are as bad if not worse.
Steve poston
I think most small towns are corrupt, especially in the South. The police departments live in the community and will do anything for people they know and/or related to. You ask anyone who lives in a small town like Florence, South Carolina or Waynesboro, NC and they will tell you it's corrupt. Florence has one of the highest crime rates in the country and South Carolina is number 2 in the nation when it comes to men who kill women. It's not only larger towns.....but small towns in the South are the most corrupt.
Jose
The corruption starts with our mayor and works all the way down to the beat police who look the other way.
Jose
San Antonio is unbelievably corrupt
GDog Slim
Only a DOPE would write this -> "Nobody thinks of rainbows or unicorns when thinking of Detroit, which is one reason why corruption thrives there"
Good, It's about time a city exploits its resources instead of SUCKING OFF THE TAXPAYERS LIKE CORRUPT DEMOCRATS LIKE OBAMA "The casinos support the city government and exploit eminent domain to gobble up land needed to build more and bigger casinos, with little regard to ordinary citizens"
John Novak
GDog take a class in writing and come back later, I can barely read your jumbled angry drivel.
Andrea
Being a metro Detroit resident my entire life...we all know how corrupt Detroit is. BUT the one thing we also know is we love our city. Detroiters may fall down...but we always get back up. Can you say the same about your town?
Jepwill
Can anyone tell me me what these cities have in common besides corruption?
Joe
What? No love for the Detroit of the East Coast?
Baltimore! Get in on it!
Ginny Edmunds
I have also been abused by a judge who is ruling for my millionaire ex and destroying me. Even in the face of multiple concealments, fraud, and $280,000 year of bank deposits in my exes accoutns, the judge still ignores this money and I do not get support for my 4 kids. My ex told me outright that I cannot win, becuase he is rich and powerful. That sounds a lot like he bribed a judge.
filtry do wody
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Gigantor
Las Vegas is full of corrupt politicians, lawyers, the usual suspects. A whole bunch of county commissioners were sent to prison for bribes, and absolutely inept lawyers become judges. The heat has affected the brain cells of just about everone, mostly voters obviously. The monarchical system reins here, with the children of dynastic privilege elected on name only. Secretary of State Ross Miller, who pens daily love notes to his favorite baseball player, is the nation's youngest Sec. of State, and the son of former Gov. Bob Miller. Ross Miller touts his ability to play hookie routinely on his twitter account, and while we live in the worst state economically and in every other quality of life index available, Ross Miller shows pictures of his luxurious vacations, and golf outings. Ross Miller is Nevada's Dan Quayle. There are others, believe me. Mayor Goodman's son Eric, who as an attorney told his client to plead guilty when a simple independent check of DNA evidence would have prevented him from listening to Eric Goodman and NOT going to prison, is now a Judge.
Anon
Historically, the fall of civilizations has always been preceded by overwhelming corruption within, the cycle has been repeating itself all around the globe for thousands of years. Nothing is new under the sun, we just happen to be living through this cycle. Instead of fighting amongst each other, I suggest you hit the books, and broaden your perception of things. As long as the victims continue to think within the confines of their own little lives, they will never notice the "little" man behind the curtain, and the cycle will never be broken.
John Novak
It doesn't really matter. If some POS gangbanger doesn't kill me for being in the wrong place at the wrong time, some POS corrupt cop will, and there is nothing I can do or say to change that.
Mainstream America doesn't really care, as far as they're concerned, I should have worked harder so that I could buy my rights like everyone else in this country does.
Neither do they care about the little kids growing up here who have no choice and have to suffer for their parent's mistakes. America doesn't want peace or love or safety. America just wants to eat another hot dog and bomb some more arabs.
Arod
There is a huge amount of bribery in San Diego and around the country in America, perhaps even more than in the courts of any other country in the world. Nearly all bribes are given to the judges by lawyers; this is considered the safe way to bribe a judge. Bribery is rarely spoken about, just understood. People pay huge amounts of money to law firms with connections, the lawyers walk around with a certain amount of cash in their jacket, and they pass it to the judges in their quiet moments together. It is mostly all cash of course. Sometimes the bribery is blatantly obvious, because of the other crimes that lawyers and judges commit in broad daylight together. In the courtrooms you can see the judges being extremely friendly to their rich lawyer friends who pay big bribes.
In America, government-appointed lawyers are the means by which hundreds of thousands of poor people are railroaded into prison. It is the job of the victim's lawyer to "sell the deal" that the judge has decided will happen. This is Star Chamber justice. Though a social explosion is lurking beneath the surface - with judges starting to get murdered, and people lighting courthouses ablaze.
A 1996 San Diego Superior Court corruption case in which three judges and a lawyer were convicted of taking bribes or influence peddling. Since neither county nor state would prosecute, federal prosecutors had to do the job under the RICO (Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act) statute. Former San Diego Judge Michael Greer admitted taking $75,000 in bribes in exchange for having given a lawyer preferential treatment. Greer was placed on suspension after pleading guilty. Judges G. Dennis Adams, James A. Malkus and attorney Patrick R. Frega were convicted under the RICO statute. But in June of this year, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals overturned racketeering charges against Adams and Malkus, claiming the jury had been given inaccurate instructions. All of these men have remained free since 1996 as they appeal their cases.
Arod
They left out San Digo. San Diego California's legal system is corrupt.
patricia Ramos
What about Maui police they are Bigtime corrupt!
jack
i LIVE IN CHICAGO, IT IS THE MOST CORRUPT ,COPS AND FBI WORK FOR THEIR MOB FRIENDS AND FRAME PEOPLE ALL THE TIME.
COPS AND FBI DONT GO AFTR WHITE CRIMINALS THEY COVER FOR WHITE PEOPLE.
COPS AND FBI CONTROL THE LAWYERS, MEDIA, CIVIL; RIGHTS GROUPS THATS EVERYBODY FOR THEY WONT GET SUED
Canadian
Everyone commenting here is simply a brute, although I live in Canada I have always admired America as a country. The same cannot be said for its inhabitants.
tamara gardiner
We need help moving from 'God's country' to' sin city' if you can help contact me at [email protected] Thanks~
Jeff
Are ya kidding? Well being that I know people there too....you will have absolutely no problem finding a place to rent. You can even just become squatters. It's a new community in itself. Age of Obama indeed.
Me2Ky
You left out Lebanon, KY. The city will even go into your driveway and take your car and boat! They hack citizens computers. After dark, the marijuana beds are burned off (similar to tobacco bed burning), and the cops drive thru the smoke and ignore it. They falsify documents to steal homes, etc.
dispense
Homes dont have wheels buddy. you live in a trailer park. get out of the library and back to tending my lawn.
Democrat bastions and corruption. | NewsMobius
[...] responsible for several high-profile murders. At least theyre keeping their U.S. Attorney busy. http://nakedlaw.avvo.com/2011/03/the…es-in-america/ [...]
kris (lower case)
you missed cleveland... let's talk loser city...
Vito Corleone
Cleveland? Please, Cleveland is paradise compared to Detroit.
Don
You guys are funny...you get all upset and accuse people of "hate" when they make factual statements about Detroit.
By any statistic you chose, Detroit is the most blighted, failure of a city in America. In fact, reports just came out that one person left Detroit every 22 minutes in the past decade: http://www.npr.org/2011/03/23/134784746/Shrinking-Detroit
This hypersensitivity about the failure of Detroit isn't healthy.Accept it.
rusty
hey this isnt about class asshole thats straight up hate
Detroiter
"Detroit: city of smokestacks and failure." Hey, here's a big fuck you from Detroit. This country was built on the back of Detroit. Your points on corruption are valid, but keep the condescending embellishments to yourself.
Truth Hurts
Hello Detroiter, Can't handle the truth? Oh, you're too busy showing all the class possible using the f bomb.
Thomas Riccardo
Economic and Social Collapse are a Breeding Ground For Corruption. These are not the only Cities with Corruption Problems. The US Economy peaked in the early 1970s and has declined since. America was at such as high level of Wealth and Power that is has taken 40 years to Destroy the Empire but here we are walking thru the Rubble of the late Great American Empire. The Greatness or perceived Greatness was always based on Power and Wealth, America was never the Greatest 'Society' or 'Community' like I said it was a Large, Powerful Empire that has run its course. It Rose Quickly and Fell Quickly. The Media continually harps on Europe's Problems and others but the fact is Greece is over 2500 years old, Germany or German Tribes and Kingdoms go back to the same period. The Romans were building Roads, Bridges, Plumbing, temples, Libraries and Schools 2000 Years before America was even Discovered by the Same Europeans Later(Not the 1st ..Native Americans Bet them from Asia)but the point being you had European and Asian Civilizations 2000 plus years before the USA was thought about. The Present Day USA was Built with European Money, Technology and People as a Colony of Europe and still to this day they hold Great influence over it...Federal Reserve is largely European, Europeans Hold the most Hard Assets in the USA(more then China, Japan and all others combined). America went through a Cycle and benefited from the fact that Europe constantly was fighting Wars and so forth. For a Brief Time starting in the late 1800s the European Bankers set up shop in the USA and especially after Russa Cut Europe in half during world war 2 and held it intil 1989 the European Money and know how came to the USA because they used it as a Base of Operations against their Enemies(Economically, Politically and Socially) until Russia and China lost the Cold War and Opened up to the West. Since that time America's decline has accelerated since it has become or is becoming an Economic backwater and militarily America is no longer needed to Fight Russia or the Chinese(Non Banker
Pseudo Communist Systems during the Cold War).
Jeff
How's this for an example. I wouldn't take a crap in your city for the fact that you might try and steal my shorts. Detroit was used as an example in History Channel's "Life Without People". You know why? Because all of the human beings left years ago...
Jeff
Actually "Life After People"....but hell you probably wouldn't know that anyway. The rest of the country has left you to with on the vine and die of exposure.