By Charlie Specht
and Dan Herbeck
News Staff Reporters
A Buffalo City Hall agency that was raided two years ago by federal agents has given $20 million in funds over the past eight years to contributors to Mayor Byron W. Brown’s campaign.
Two former U.S. attorneys, witnesses interviewed by the FBI and a veteran defense lawyer familiar with the probes told The Buffalo News they don't expect any charges to be filed against Brown before the Nov. 2 mayoral election.
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“The FBI is trying to determine if there was any quid pro quo relationship between the donations to the mayor and Modern’s contracts with the city,” one source told The News. “They also want to know what dealings there were between the mayor, (Steve) Pigeon and Maurice Garner.”
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The Market Arcade building at 617 Main St. in Buffalo was purchased by developer Nick Sinatra from the Buffalo Urban Renewal Agency in 2014. (John Hickey / Buffalo News)
John Hickey / Buffalo News
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Developers Nick Sinatra and David Pawlik worked with People, Inc. to build 89 mixed-income apartments at 1140-1160 Jefferson Ave. in Buffalo. The Buffalo Urban Renewal Agency approved $500,000 in federal funds for the project. (John Hickey / Buffalo News)
John Hickey / Buffalo News
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Roger Trettel of Revival Development, left, and Steven Carmina of Carmina Wood Morris stand in front of brick buildings at Michigan and Broadway where they are developing the Nash Lofts, a mixed use complex.
Derek Gee/News file photo
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Ciminelli Real Estate agreed to purchase one of the last remaining large parcels at Waterfront Village from the Buffalo Urban Renewal Agency for $2.2 million. Three years later, BURA lowered the sale price to $1.3 million. The land was appraised at $1.6 million, city records show.
John Hickey / Buffalo News
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