During the summer of 2007, Mahoning County officials supported the purchase of Oakhill Renaissance Place and had just won a lawsuit filed against them by executives of the Cafaro Company and elected leaders who opposed the deal.
But the bitter dispute over plans to move agencies out of the Cafaro-owned McGuffy Mall and into Oakhill was far from over.
Soon after the trial, Mahoning County Prosecutor Paul Gains contacted the Ohio Ethics Commission and said he was concerned over revelations that had come out of the case and elsewhere over possible improper conduct involving the Oakhill sale and the efforts by elected leaders and others to stop it.
At the time, developer JJ Cafaro insisted, "I can assure you nothing has been done that is improper."
That claim notwithstanding, a team of investigators, led by Lorain County Prosecutor Dennis Will and Paul Nick of the Ethics Commission, began presenting witnesses to a Mahoning County Grand Jury this week. Although no indictment's been handed-up yet, the current Grand Jury panel will remain in place until the end of April—and could be extended even longer if needed.
By law, Grand Jury proceedings are secret, so it is unknown who may have testified already, or who is to be called later. While phone records and other documents of a handful of office holders were subpoenaed years ago, it is also unknown just how far-reaching this investigation will be.
In December, developers Anthony and JJ Cafaro stepped down from their posts with the company, which led to even more speculation about this case. While neither has spoken publicly about their retirements, there have been plenty of accusations over their roles in the Oakhill case— and just as many angry denials over the years. That time may finally be at hand.
