LAS VEGAS -- Public officials allegedly made secret deals to pocket millions in sweetheart land transactions. Metro says it's bribery of the worst kind involving water agencies and public money and there could be more arrests on the way.
Metro believes two highly influential experts in water agencies conspired together to use their positions of power to funnel a water rights swap to a friend in exchange for more than $1 million in kickbacks.
In the 25-count criminal indictment, Robert Coache, the deputy state engineer and Michael Johnson, then a member of the Virgin Valley Water District worked with a land owner in Bunkerville to puff up the price of water rights illegally for a big profit. The land owner in turn, is said to have given the men the kickbacks as bribes. It appears the Virgin Valley Water District and the SNWA had no knowledge or connection to the alleged scheme.
But Wednesday, the 8 News NOW I-Team spoke with Metro's Intelligence Unit and learned there could be more to the case including additional arrests. Metro used detectives and even a financial analyst to look at the lengthy paper trail that may be the suspects' undoing.
"We're confident that with the work they have done, that we've found the money and not only that we've found the money but that we've found where the money went, investments, properties," said Lt. Dave Logue, Metro.
Metro says tracking the paper trail has been important, as documents and money transfers connect in a timeline that suggests manipulation and criminal activity. Police say there are some options to get the kickback money returned. Coache's attorney did not respond to our interview request.
Robert Coache
Michael Johnson
