If you drive about 18 miles southwest of Chicago, you will arrive in the Village of Homer Glen. A pair of men were recently arrested there after a two-year investigation on charges of identity theft, fraud and forgery-related crimes, the Will County Sheriff's Office said.
Former Chicago police officer gets early federal prison release
The pandemic has had a negative effect on the lives of the vast majority of people. One of the few exceptions is former Chicago narcotics officer Glenn Lewellen, who was convicted of kidnapping and robbing drug dealers.
Lewellen was recently released from federal prison more than six years early because of the threat of coronavirus. Back in 2013, he was sentenced to 18 years on narcotics conspiracy charges after conspiring with a paid informant in eight robberies and kidnappings.
DeVos redoes sexual assault allegation rules in campus cases
A decade ago, many believed that sexual assault allegations were too often given scant attention by colleges and that accusers were routinely discouraged from reporting attacks. The Obama administration tried to correct that approach, but many believed it overcompensated in favor of accusers with rules that did not protect the due process rights of those who were accused of misconduct.
Education Secretary Betsy DeVos recently announced rules that many believe will strike a new balance that respects the rights of both accusers and the accused. Lexology says the final regulations "materially change how cases of sexual misconduct must be handled at colleges and universities" that receive federal funding.
Supreme Court overturns Bridgegate fraud convictions
Chicago sports fans are very familiar with the phrase “what might have been.” They sometimes wistfully wonder what might have been if key injuries or pivotal plays had never taken place. (Most famous example: Steve Bartman.)
Former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie is a political example of “what might have been.” Once a promising presidential contender, his career was derailed by a 2013 scandal known as Bridgegate – a scandal that was today downsized by the U.S. Supreme Court when it unanimously overturned the convictions of two Christie allies on federal fraud charges.
ACLU study shows wide racial disparity in Illinois criminal justice
It goes without saying that across U.S. history, African Americans have not been treated fairly or equally. The inequality is less overt today, but it still exists, as the results of a recent American Civil Liberties Union study make clear.
The ACLU study looked at marijuana arrests across the U.S. from 2010 to 2018 and found that in Illinois, African Americans were 7.5 times more likely than whites to be arrested for marijuana possession despite nearly identical usage rates.
Experienced Federal Prosecutor to Lead Fight against COVID-19 (Coronavirus) Fraud in Chicago
Make no mistake that even during a global pandemic federal agents and law enforcement will actively investigate and prosecute crimes. According to the latest press release from the US Attorney’s Office in Chicago, the Chief of the Financial Crimes Section of the United State’s Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Illinois is taking the lead as the COVID-19 Fraud Coordinator for the Northern District of Illinois which encompasses the Chicagoland area.
According to U.S. Attorney Lausch, “My office will vigilantly guard the public from fraudsters who try to take advantage of a vulnerable time for our nation…(a) national crisis is by no means a safe harbor for criminal activity.”
50 arrested in Chicago area on drug-trafficking charges
According to legend, both mariachi music and tequila originated in the Mexican state of Jalisco. According to the Department of Justice and the Drug Enforcement Administration, the recent arrests of more than 600 people nationwide on drug trafficking charges has disrupted Cártel de Jalisco Nueva Generación ("CJNG"), which also originates in the western Mexico state.
The six-month investigation, dubbed Project Python, included 50 or so arrests in the DEA's Chicago division, a WMAQ report stated. There were also many arrests in other parts of the Midwest.
Defendants request dismissal of white-collar charges
Four former bank employees accused of trying to illegally manipulate precious metals futures contracts say the criminal charges against them should be dismissed. The men filed their motion in Chicago’s U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois.
The Department of Justice charged the men with RICO (Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act) conspiracy, conspiracy to commit wire fraud affecting a financial institution, bank fraud, commodities fraud, price manipulation and spoofing.
Sentencing near for former Ald. Edward Vrdolyak co-defendant
Back in 1998, a group of 46 states – including Illinois – reached the largest settlement in history with tobacco companies. The $206 billion settlement included $9.3 billion for Illinois to compensate the state for tobacco-related health-care costs.
According to federal prosecutors, former Chicago Ald. Edward Vrdolyak and his friend Daniel Soso scammed about $10 million for themselves out of the settlement though they did no work on the case. Soso, 67, and Vrdolyak, 82, have each pled guilty to a single count of tax evasion and are awaiting sentencing.
Chicago Sun-Times rips CPD, trolling cops, needless arrests
A recent report on the Chicago Police Department added new meaning to the word “trolling.” For many, the term refers to online provocateurs who specialize in name-calling and making incendiary remarks. But trolling by CPD officers is another matter entirely.
Police trolling refers to a Chicago police officer who makes a traffic stop or an arrest for disorderly conduct at the end of their work shift, precisely so that the officer has a reason for overtime (and increased pay). According to Chicago’s Inspector General, these trolling arrests escalate “a situation which could have been within the officer’s discretion to dismiss.”
