Charlotte mayor Patrick Cannon has resigned as mayor after bribery, extortion and corruption allegations.
“I hereby give notice of my resignation from the position of the Mayor of the City of Charlotte, effective immediately. In light of the charges that have been brought against me, it is my judgment that the pendency of these charges will create too much of a distraction for the business of the City to go forward smoothly and without interruption,” Cannon wrote in his resignation letter.
Cannon, who boasts of overcoming life’s challenges, including being raised by a single mother in the projects, was arrested Wednesday by the FBI. The former mayor is facing theft and bribery charges for allegedly accepting tens of thousands in cash pay outs, including a brief case filled with $20,000 cash.
In office for only four months, Cannon, 47, had been investigated by the FBI, including recorded meetings, for the last three years, long before his mayoral bid. Arriving at a luxury apartment to accept another bribe, Cannon discovered the real identity of his companions, undercover FBI agents. He allegedly accepted cash payouts at least five times.
Cannon’s home and two offices spaces were raided by the FBI for financial records, phones, computers and other electrical devices. If convicted, Patrick Cannon faces a 50 year sentence and $1.5 million dollars in fines. He’s currently out on $25,000 bond.