Cab company owner interviewed by FBI about Cannon case

CHARLOTTE — The owner of a local cab company said he has been interviewed by the FBI in connection to the case against former Charlotte mayor Patrick Cannon.

Obaid Kahn says he was contacted by the FBI after he spoke with Channel 9 about the controversy surrounding airport taxi cab contracts.

"They did reach out to me first but sooner or later I was planning on getting in contact with them myself," Kahn said.

The Diamond Cab Company owner said federal agents interviewed him within the last three weeks about the corruption allegations.

They stem back to 2011, when three cab companies were selected to service Charlotte Douglas Airport, shutting out all of the rest, including Kahn's company.

Channel 9 interviewed him after Kahn approached Charlotte City Council concerned that the taxi cab contracts would be renewed.

Kahn and other cab company owners claim they did not get an airport contract because they did not pay to join the Charlotte Hospitality Association, a group with ties to Cannon.

City leaders said they are reviewing the selection process from 2011 to make sure cab companies that were awarded those five-year contacts received them honestly.

"These aren't allegations anymore, these are pretty much realities for the city of Charlotte," Kahn said. "They were allegations three years ago, everything is kind of connecting now."

Kahn would not go into detail about his conversation with the FBI because it is an ongoing investigation. He believes this investigation will cause officials to rebid the airport taxi cab contracts.

WSOC