DETROIT (WWJ) -- A years-long battle between former Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick and federal prosecutors over restitution has taken another turn.
In the latest documents filed in federal court, Kilpatrick said he shouldn't owe $825,000 in restitution, because some money was found after his conviction.
"He doesn't wanna pay it; and he claims he doesn't owe anything," WWJ Legal Analyst Charlie Langton explained. "And that's the issue is how much restitution to the federal government does the ex-mayor of Detroit actually owe?"
"Interesting, too, is that he filed a written motion," Langton said. "But it appears that some of it was actually hand written by him; not sure if he's represented by counsel or he will have an attorney when the judge hears this case. But, basically, the ex-mayor basically says he owes no restitution."
Kilpatrick was ordered to pay $1.7 million after he was convicted on conspiracy, extortion and other corruption-related charges in 2013. The amount was lowered after the feds seized assets belonging to Kilpatrick's friend and co-defendant Bobby Ferguson.
While Langton said the feds have not yet responded to this latest filing, the government said in the past that Kilpatrick has only been paying about $150 a month, and that he's paid around $9,000 thus far.
Also in the latest filing, Kilpatrick is asking for all hearings on this matter to be moved from federal court in Detroit to Georgia, where he currently lives. Although Langton said such a movie is unlikely.
Langton said, in any case, the ex-mayor still owes a lot of money.
"Despite the federal case, where at least there's a discrepancy as to how much restitution is owed, the ex-mayor does owe the City of Detroit about $800,000, and who knows how often he is paying that restitution."
Kilpatrick served eight years in federal prison on a 28-year sentence before his sentence was commuted by then-President Donald Trump in January 2021.