Special Reports

Chicago Cop Arrested In Towing Scheme

Officer Michael Ciancio Accused Of Taking Bribes From Tow Truck Drivers

CHICAGO (CBS) ― One of the worst bribery scandals in Chicago police history continued Wednesday, when a second Chicago police officer was charged with extorting bribes from towing companies in exchange for steering them jobs at accident scenes.

The arrest comes after a three-year-long investigation by CBS 2 Investigator Pam Zekman. In her series of reports "The Accident Chasers" she has exposed abuses by towing companies and Chicago police officers. Her reports led to an FBI investigation.

The criminal complaint released Wednesday detailed how Chicago Police Officer Michael Ciancio shook down tow truck drivers seeking to do business the 16th District.

Ciancio, 56, was arrested at his home without incident as part of an FBI undercover investigation of allegations that Chicago police have been getting payoffs in exchange for such referrals.

Ciancio, a 21-year veteran of the force, was accused in a criminal complaint of getting repairs to his personal car as well as cash in exchange for steering the towing business to companies that paid.

The scheme described in the complaint is almost identical to what a tow truck driver told CBS 2 News earlier this year.

That driver claimed police officers required him to pay them $100 for the opportunity to tow a car from an accident scene.

That's also what the feds allege Ciancio did to a tow truck driver who is now cooperating with the investigation.

The complaint said "cooperating witness 6" paid Ciancio an average of $600 to $800 a week over two years, totaling as much as $83,000.

The feds used surveillance and hidden microphones to record conversations between the tow truck driver and Ciancio

During one call, the tow truck driver asked Ciancio if a recent $700 payoff was enough. Ciancio allegedly said it was "beautiful, thank you. I just turned it over the the electrician." An electrician was doing repairs on Ciancio's home, according to the complaint.

In another recorded call, Ciancio questioned the tow truck driver about a missed payment. "I didn't hear from you, I says what the **** happened, you know? I thought it was like Christmas and I looked under the tree, there was no gift."

The FBI said the bribes were paid to not only call tow trucks to accident scenes but chase away the competition.

The complain alleged a recording was made in June 2007 by a tow truck operator cooperating with the FBI as Ciancio chased him away from one towing job he had reserved for a favorite truck operator.

"Drop it, drop it and get out of here, you don't belong here, get out," the affidavit quoted Ciancio as saying. It quoted him as threatening to have the trucker "locked up for soliciting" if he didn't leave.

"It's been going on for so many years. I've reported it to internal affairs … and basically … nothing was done about it," the tow truck driver told CBS 2 News earlier this year.

Ciancio has been relieved of his police powers. He was released from custody Wednesday on a $4,500 recognizance bond.

Last month, another police officer -- 25th district patrolman Joseph Grillo -- was charged with insurance fraud in connection to this ongoing towing fraud investigation.

More charges are expected against both Chicago police officers and towing operators.

(© MMVIII, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)

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