Financial Adviser Charged In Corruption Probe

CLEVELAND — A financial services adviser has been charged in an Ohio corruption investigation with bribing two elected officials with fake palm trees, food and wine.

A criminal information filed Monday in Cleveland federal court charged Charles Randazzo with conspiracy to land retirement planning business with Cuyahoga (ky-uh-HOH’-guh) County.

Such a filing usually signals a pending plea deal. A message seeking comment was left for his attorney.

Randazzo is alleged to have given more than $1,000 each to county Commissioner Jimmy Dimora and Auditor Frank Russo to buy fake palm trees and also gave Dimora food, wine and sports tickets for himself and friends.

Dimora, who left office in January, has pleaded not guilty to bribery and is awaiting trial. Russo quit, pleaded guilty to bribery and was sentenced to nearly 22 years in prison.