State Rep. LaShawn K. Ford has been indicted for bank fraud

Brian Costin

Open government and government transparency expert

Brian Costin
November 29, 2012

State Rep. LaShawn K. Ford has been indicted for bank fraud

State Rep. LaShawn K. Ford, D-Chicago, of Illinois’ 8th District has become the most recent example of a steady stream of Illinois politicians caught with their hands in the cookie jar. According to the Chicago Sun-Times: “Ford, 40, of Chicago — who also invests in Chicago real estate — allegedly fraudulently obtained a $500,000 increase...

State Rep. LaShawn K. Ford, D-Chicago, of Illinois’ 8th District has become the most recent example of a steady stream of Illinois politicians caught with their hands in the cookie jar.

According to the Chicago Sun-Times:

“Ford, 40, of Chicago — who also invests in Chicago real estate — allegedly fraudulently obtained a $500,000 increase and a two-year extension on a line of credit from a failed bank called ShoreBank, making false statements to gain multiple advances, according to a federal indictment returned by a grand jury Thursday.

He was charged with eight counts of bank fraud and nine counts of submitting false information to the bank in a 17-count indictment.

The indictment seeks forfeiture of approximately $832,000, according to the news release.

Each count Ford faces carries a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison and a $1 million fine, and restitution is mandatory.”

This tweet came in from the Illinois Opportunity Project shortly after the news broke:

IL needs a sign near the statehouse: “XX days since the last legislator indicted.”trib.in/V8QhBX

— ILOpportunityProject (@ILOpportunity) November 29, 2012

Capitol Fax reported that Ford used these funds to pay – at least in part – for his 2006 campaign:

“… instead [Ford] used the funds to pay unrelated expenses, including, car loans, credit cards, other mortgages held at ShoreBank, payments to a casino in Hammond, Ind., and for his 2006 campaign for Illinois State Representative, the indictment alleges.”

In March State Rep. Derrick Smith was charged with accepting a bribe of $7,000 in exchange for supporting a grant for a fictional day care operator in an undercover FBI sting. Smith was expelled from the legislature but was re-elected in November and is slated to be seated to the legislature again in January.

Stay tuned for further developments in both cases.

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