The investigation into New Orleans "Smart Cities" has ratcheted up a notch with the Inspector General ordering the seizure of a computer used by a City Hall information technology employee.
The move comes after the City Council asked the IG's office to look into any improprieties in the "Smart Cities" program after the Council was not satisfied with the questioning of City Utilities Director Jonathan Rhodes about the "Smart Cities" program or Rhodes alleged deleting of emails.
Councilmember J.P. Morrell voiced that the "Smart Cities" program was a bad deal and said the entire proposal had significant ethical concerns.
The IG is looking at Mayor LaToya Cantrell's administration and how it negotiated a broad multimillion-dollar contract to bring citywide wifi to New Orleans' lower income neighborhoods.
According to broadcast sources the project was to create a private, city run Internet provider as a competitor with AT&T and COX Internet. Such a system would mean thousands of "smart city" connected devices could gather information to work at improving city services, or the information could be sold on the market to companies for a profit.
Today's move by the Inspector General's office involved the seizure of a computer belonging to Christopher Wolff who is an apparent partner with Utility Director Jonathan Rhodes in a not-for-profit consulting firm.
Rhodes reportedly was involved in a working relationship with Qualcomm, the IT giant, which landed the contract for the "Smart Cities" program.
Rhodes own company, Verge Internet, is said to have had dealings with Qualcomm, but Rhodes maintains Verge was not set up to take advantage of Rhodes position as Utility Director or profit from his working for the City.
A business founded by Rhodes and Wolff has reportedly worked as a 'pro-bono consultant' with Qualcomm.
Though Qualcomm eventually ended the program and walked away from the City, the City Council was left with questions about how "Smart City" was run and Rhodes involvement with it.
Mayor Cantrell says the investigation is disruptive to her administration and is costing New Orleans city government millions of dollars.
