Investigator Exclusive: Mystery surrounding photo of Commissioner Dimora and former strip club manager

CLEVELAND -- Cuyahoga County worker Rosemary Vinci told The Investigator Tom Meyer she doesn't know what happened to a photo showing her and Cuyahoga County Commissioner Jimmy Dimora that federal agents were looking for in Auditor Frank Russo's personal office.

Vinci admits she was wearing a skimpy outfit while posing alongside Dimora. She denies embracing Dimora in the photo, which was taken during a political fundraiser a few years ago. Vinci says the picture was taken after a group of people were dancing.

Federal agents went looking for the photo, financial records, records of donations and many other items when they raided the county administration building on July 28. County sources tell Meyer that someone inside the county building recovered the photo before the raid.

Among other things, investigators are looking at employees who were hired because of political connections and employees who allegedly had to pay to get their jobs.

Vinci came under fire recently when no one could explain what the former strip club manager's job is at the county. Officially she works in the auditor's office, but Channel 3 News says part of her salary is paid for with money from the county commissioner's budget which is separate from the auditor's.

Vinci admits she's close to both Russo and Dimora. When Meyer asked what she does, she said "when I hear of something (at city hall), I get back to them."

Vinci told Meyer the feds are using her as pawn in an investigation she calls a witch hunt. She's says there's no relevance to the photos of her and Dimora other than the fact they're friends.