Convicted Detroit businessman Rayford Jackson, who is headed to federal prison, is speaking out for the first time since his sentencing.
Jackson, in an exclusive interview on “Center Stage with Bankole Thompson,” the weekly Saturday public affairs show on WADL TV 38, will respond to questions about his criminal conviction and if he will cooperate with the federal government to root out corruption in Detroit. Jackson will also respond to recent statements by his ex-mistress and former Fox 2 anchorwoman Fanchon Stinger that he abused, threatened and manipulated her.
The interview, which will air Dec 5 at 1 p.m., is conducted by Thompson, senior editor of the Michigan Chronicle.
Jackson, a central figure in a $1.2 billion bribery scandal involving the Synagro sludge hauling company, was sentenced earlier this month to five years in prison, the maximum sentence possible. He is to report to prison in January.
Jackson, 44, had pled guilty to conspiracy to commit bribery.
According to reports, Stinger, who had been in a relationship with Jackson since 2005, lost her job at Fox 2 News because of that relationship. She maintains she allowed Jackson to put a Rolls Royce and other luxury cars in her name because she feared him and because Jackson had poor credit.
Stinger, who has said she was in an abusive relationship with Jackson, maintains that her company, Stinger Strategies, LLC, never had a 2007 contract with Synagro to buy media ads supporting the company’s bid for a contract with the city, and that federal prosecutors have cleared her of wrongdoing in her dealings with Jackson.
Reports indicate that it is possible a deal between her company and Synagro could have been made without her knowledge.
Stinger also said that when she accompanied Jackson to a meeting in the community, designed to win public support, she was just there as his driver.
Jackson’s attorney, Richard Morgan Jr., said Jackson did not abuse Stinger, either mentally or physically, according to reports.
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