Two years after ABC 7 Amarillo reported that the Federal Bureau of Investigation had launched a probe into the purchase of the Commerce Building by the Amarillo Economic Development Corporation, the Amarillo Pioneer reached out to the FBI for an update.
It was reported in February of 2015 that the FBI had launched a probe into the purchase of the Commerce Building by the AEDC from New Commerce Partners. NCP, which was led by local attorney Alan Rhodes, was reported to have sold the building to the AEDC for $3.1 million in September of 2013. The initial appraisal value of $1.6 million, followed by an appraisal of $3.1 million by Steve Rogers Company drew scrutiny from some in the community and led several local residents to file Open Records Act requests for information related to the sale.
Today, more than two years after the probe was made public, the FBI stated: "Per Department of Justice policy, the FBI does not confirm or deny the existence of investigations."
The Amarillo Pioneer has obtained information that was turned over to the FBI by the AEDC and will continue to update this story as more information is learned.
