Feds investigate property tax bribery scheme in Cook County

By Patrick Andriesen

07/19/2021

A Board of Review employee claims corruption is rampant in his Cook County office after an FBI affidavit states he was charging $2,000 to lower assessment on commercial properties and $1,000 for homes.

TAGS: bribery, Cook County, FBI: Federal Bureau of Investigation

Feds call Chicago Ald. Ed Burke ‘thoroughly corrupt’

By Patrick Andriesen

04/22/2021

Chicago’s longest-serving alderman, Ed Burke, tried to extort redevelopers of the old West Loop post office and others. They said there was no need to entrap Burke because his hand was regularly out.

TAGS: Chicago, corruption, Ed Burke, FBI: Federal Bureau of Investigation, federal investigation

Ald. Burke, Sen. Sandoval political crony guilty of lying about bribes

By Brad Weisenstein

04/13/2021

A longtime political operative for Chicago Ald. Ed Burke and the late state Sen. Martin Sandoval pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI about bribes.

TAGS: bribery, corruption, Ed Burke, FBI: Federal Bureau of Investigation, Martin Sandoval

Political operative for Ald. Burke, Sen. Sandoval charged with lying to FBI

By Patrick Andriesen

04/01/2021

A longtime political operative for Chicago Ald. Ed Burke and the late state Sen. Martin Sandoval was charged with lying to the FBI about bribes.

TAGS: corruption, Ed Burke, FBI: Federal Bureau of Investigation, federal investigation, Martin Sandoval

Crestwood mayor charged in red-light camera bribery scheme

08/10/2020

Multiple officials in the southwest suburbs have been implicated on criminal charges in a federal investigation into red-light cameras.

TAGS: bribery, corruption, FBI: Federal Bureau of Investigation, red light cameras

Chinatown developer who recorded Madigan, Solis charged with fraud

03/18/2020

The developer’s recordings helped federal investigators charge Chicago Ald. Ed Burke and deepened the investigation into Illinois state corruption.

TAGS: corruption, Danny Solis, FBI: Federal Bureau of Investigation, federal investigation, fraud, Mike Madigan

Illinois House committee passes bill to ban red-light cameras statewide

03/12/2020

Red-light cameras have been the subject of multiple corruption investigations and have cost Illinois drivers over $1 billion.

TAGS: conflict of interest, corruption, David McSweeney, FBI: Federal Bureau of Investigation, IDOT: Illinois Department of Transportation, IRS: Internal Revenue Service, Jeff Tobolski, Martin Sandoval, Oakbrook Terrace, red light cameras, SafeSpeed

Illinois House passes bill to tear down nearly 100 red-light cameras

02/26/2020

A proposal to limit red-light cameras in Illinois is making significant progress.

TAGS: corruption, David McSweeney, FBI: Federal Bureau of Investigation, Jonathan Carroll, Martin Sandoval, Mattie Hunter, red light cameras, SafeSpeed

Blagojevich comes home to America’s most corrupt city

02/26/2020

Chicago and the state of Illinois are notorious around the country for high-profile corruption convictions. Rod Blagojevich settles back in after the former governor’s imprisonment for corruption.

TAGS: Chicago, conflict of interest, conviction, Cook County, cooling off period, corruption, ethics, FBI: Federal Bureau of Investigation, Jeff Tobolski, lobbying, Martin Sandoval, Patrick Doherty, prison, red light cameras, revolving door, Rod Blagojevich, SafeSpeed, watchdog

Records involving Madigan sought by federal probe into southwest Chicago suburb

By Brad Weisenstein

02/21/2020

Federal investigators are seeking records from a small village near Chicago. The subpoena names Illinois House Speaker Mike Madigan, his political lieutenants and former ComEd lobbyists.

TAGS: Chicago, Commonwealth Edison, conflict of interest, corruption, ethics, FBI: Federal Bureau of Investigation, federal investigation, IRS: Internal Revenue Service, Kevin Quinn, Marty Quinn, Michael McClain, Mike Madigan, red light cameras, revolving door, Timothy Mapes