Published: Friday, June 03, 2011, 3:18 PM    

Updated: Friday, June 03, 2011, 3:58 PM

http://www.cleveland.com/strongsville/index.ssf/2011/06/coyne_charged_with_bribery_mon.html

Federal prosecutors filed a five-count criminal information against former Strongsville City Councilman at-large this afternoon in U.S. District Court in Cleveland.

Coyne, 52, was charged with one count each of: bribery concerning programs receiving federal funds, money laundering, conspiracy to committ bribery concerning programs receiving federal funds, structuring and wire fraud.

A Democrat, Coyne resigned May 6, then surrendered to the FBI May 9, the same day an FBI affidavit stated he accepted $20,000 in bribes in 2008. Released on a $50,000 unsecured bond, he was placed on house arrest.

Today's information states Coyne accepted the $20,000 from real estate developer David Terry with the intent to be influenced or rewarded for business transactions in connection with the City of Strongsville. Terry has pleaded guilty to the bribe, and is awaiting sentencing.

The money laundering charge relates to Coyne using the Terry bribe money to make a payment toward the purchase of a condominium in Marblehead.

According to the information, Coyne also ran a fraud beginning in March in which he invited an investor to invest in a new Krispy Kreme doughnut franchise in Brunswick. That investor then wrote Coyne two checks totaling $32,000 in April. However, Coyne had never discussed the franchise plan with Krispy Kreme, the information states.