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GOVERNMENT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA Roscoe Howard VIA HAND DELIVERY Re: District of Columbia Office of Property Management Dear Mr. Howard: At the direction of the Mayor of the District of Columbia, I write to supplement our earlier criminal referral to your office, the Office of the Inspector General and the Metropolitan Police Department, dated May 21, 2003, regarding possible criminal activity by personnel in the District of Columbia's Office of Property Management ("OPM") In addition to the earlier referral, .I now refer the following matters to your attention, for such investigation and further proceedings as your office may determine to The appropriate, all involving tie expenditure of public funds: Possible unlawful activities of District of Columbia employees, including Michael Lorusso, former Deputy Director of OPM ("Lorusso"), stemming from his dealings with Douglas Development Corporation, its principal, Douglas Jemal, and his related partnerships and business entities ("Jemal"), relating to the appraisal and proposed purchase by the District of Columbia ("District!) of real property at 4800 Addison Road Prince George's County, Maryland, and related sale of District-owned property at ·t38 Massachusetts Avenue, N.W.; to Jemal; Possible unlawful activities of District employees, stemming from lease negotiations for office space with Jemal, relating to Jemal property at 64 New York Ave., N.E., formerly known as 77 P St., N.E., and related acquisition of furniture; Possible unlawful transfer of $929,298 to Jemal stemming from an undocumented lease of Jemal property at 77 P Street, N.E.; Possible unlawful activities of District employees involving a $:6.7 million build-out by International Builders, Inc., sub-contracting through Cushman & Wakefield of Washington, D.C., Inc. ("Cushman"}, for District offices at 441 Fourth Street, N.W., and related acquisition. of furniture. Possible unlawful activities of District employees in arranging for the District's use of Jemal's property at 607 K St., N.W.; Allegations of a Cushman employee, relating to the build-out referred to above, that he was asked to prepare an excessive bill to the District.. We may determine to refer additional matters to your attention as circumstances warrant. We have been advised by Assistant U.S. Attorney Stevan Bunnel, Chief of Fraud arid Public Corruption, that he" has assigned Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Dubester to investigate our May 21, 2008 criminal referral. Mr. Dubester has advised our office that Lauren. Lernay of the Federal Bureau of Investigation bias been assigned to the case. This office, on behalf of the Mayor, stands ready to provide such assistance as you may require in the conduct of your investigation Yours very truly, The Hon. Jim Graham, District of Columbia Councilmember |
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