Hamtramck whistleblowers speak out as more corruption allegations surface

Steve Neavling

Hamtramck City Council is the nation’s first all-Muslim council.

Two Hamtramck officials at the center of a federal whistleblower lawsuit spoke publicly Tuesday for the first time, leveling new and explosive allegations of corruption, misconduct, and election interference against the city’s top leadership.

At a news conference, attorney Jon Marko, who represents City Manager Max Garbarino and Officer David Adamczyk, outlined a sweeping array of claims against Mayor Amer Ghalib, Police Chief Jamiel Altaheri, and members of the all-Muslim city council.

The new allegations come one day after the filing of a federal lawsuit that accuses city officials of retaliation, abuse of power, and efforts to cover up criminal behavior.

“These are crazy and almost unbelievable allegations in this complaint that are substantiated through evidence and through testimony of multiple people,” Marko said. “It reads out of a season of The Sopranos.”

Among the new claims: Altaheri allegedly stashed a stolen Mercedes-Benz in his backyard — a car that Marko said was connected to a crime. He’s also accused of attempting to buy a presidential pardon from Donald Trump through a multimillion-dollar trust, with a convicted pedophile present during the negotiations.

“The police chief of Hamtramck was trying to facilitate with a known associate of President Trump to secure a pardon for an individual out of New York by creating a trust under which millions of dollars would be funneled,” Marko said. “The plan was to buy a presidential pardon.”

Marko said he has photos of the meeting and that Altaheri is believed to have traveled to Mar-a-Lago, Trump’s Florida residence.

Altaheri is also accused of physically assaulting his second wife on multiple occasions.

“He kicked her. He hit her with a shower rod,” Marko said. “Some of this proof is on a recording that we have. It’s very serious.”

Garbarino, who was Hamtramck’s police chief before becoming city manager, said he endured relentless pressure to carry out unethical orders from city hall, including firing employees for racist or political reasons.

“These past few years have been horrible, dealing with this corrupt council, always doing what I could to hold the line to protect the city,” Garbarino said. “Frankly, they have put my staff and I through hell.”

One city official, Garbarino said, told him, “There are too many Black people in city government,” and pressured him to fire Black employees. He also said he was asked to fire the city assessor for displaying a pride flag in his personal workplace.

Garbarino said city council members repeatedly interfered with the hiring process, which is legally under the city manager’s authority, and that he was pressured to look the other way when large numbers of absentee ballots were allegedly dropped off in violation of election law.

“The city has endured misconduct for far too long,” Garbarino said. “These guys have been fixing elections for over a decade, and we have been begging for help all along. I thought it was my duty to make a stand and do what is right. I believe the people of Hamtramck deserve better.”

Adamczyk, who said he reported several allegations to the Michigan State Police and the FBI, called for public accountability.

“I spoke out because the people of Hamtramck deserve leaders who earn positions fairly and serve the public, not themselves,” he said. “I will keep cooperating with state and federal authorities until every fact is brought to light and accountability is restored.”

Marko said several of the allegations are backed by audio and video evidence that will be released in the coming weeks. He said the scope of the alleged misconduct shows a “complete disregard for the law, and the targeting of brave individuals who were trying to follow the law.”

The lawsuit, filed Monday in federal court, names Ghalib, Altaheri, and council members Abu Musa, Khalil Refai, Mohammed Hassan, Muhith Mahmood, Mohammed Alsomiri, and Muhtasin Sadman. It accuses them of violating the Michigan Whistleblower Protection Act, the Open Meetings Act, and other civil rights statutes.

The case has drawn increasing attention as law enforcement agencies expand their investigations into the city. On May 23, the FBI confirmed it was “conducting law enforcement activities” in Hamtramck. The Michigan State Police and Monroe County Prosecutor’s Office are also investigating alleged absentee ballot fraud and whether two council members meet the city’s residency requirements.

Mayor Ghalib has denied wrongdoing and previously said he welcomes the FBI’s involvement.

Marko said the evidence his clients have collected will show the need for sweeping reforms in city government.

“These are not just allegations. They are backed up by documentation, recordings, and witnesses,” he said. “This is about public servants doing the right thing and being punished for it.”