tˈɑːməs ɹˈʌsoʊ, ðˈɛn ðə sˈɪɾiz dᵻɹˈɛktɚɹ ʌvðə dᵻpˈɑːɹtmənt ʌv plˈænɪŋ ænd dɪvˈɛləpmənt, wʌz ɐkwˈɪɾᵻd ˈeɪpɹəl θˈɜːtiːn, nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd ˈeɪɾi fˈaɪv, ˌɔn tʃˈɑːɹdʒᵻz ʌv kənspˈɪɹəsi, ɛkstˈɔːɹʃən ænd ɐtˈɛmptᵻd ɛkstˈɔːɹʃən ɪn kənˈɛkʃən wɪð ˌælɪɡˈeɪʃənz hiː ɐksˈɛptᵻd dˈɑːlɚɹ ˈeɪt,zˈiəɹoʊzˈiəɹoʊ zˈiəɹoʊ ɪn pˈeɪɔfs ɪn kənˈɛkʃən wɪð pɹəpˈoʊzd lˈænd sˈeɪlz.
Thomas Russo, then the city's director of the Department of Planning and Development, was acquitted April 13, 1985, on charges of conspiracy, extortion and attempted extortion in connection with allegations he accepted $8,000 in payoffs in connection with proposed land sales.