Carter was found guilty in August of charges including bank fraud after his fiber optics firm took out millions of dollars in loans based on non-existent deals with Butler County.
The investigation that netted Carter also brought a guilty plea from former county auditor Kay Rogers. Based on FBI records requests, it also has apparently expanded to include campaign finance forms and other records related to former commissioner Michael Fox.
Records recently gathered by the FBI include a map of the county’s fiber optics system and a breakdown of who owns the system’s 96 fibers.
According to those records, 30 fibers are owned by former Middletown city councilman Perry Thatcher, whose company I-Fiber bought them from NORMAP, the company that oversaw the system’s construction.
Another 36 fibers are owned by the county, which leases 12 to Miami University. MU owns another six fibers of its own. Cincinnati Bell owns 12 fibers as part of its payment for building the system. A man named Irshad Ansari – who also was involved in building the network – owns the final 12.
FBI officials won’t comment on the records.
“I can’t even confirm we were looking for anything,” said FBI spokesman Mike Brooks. “I can’t comment on any part of the investigation, so I can neither confirm nor deny that.”
Commissioner Charles Furmon, who requested the FBI probe into Dynus years ago, said he was concerned about “fast dealing going on” when the system was being built, with one company going bankrupt and another rushing in to buy it.
“I’m really not sure who ended up with what from that venture, but I knew it was very confusing at that time,” he said.
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