* The Sun-Times’ Jon Seidel…

Federal prosecutors have asked a judge to sentence former state Sen. Thomas Cullerton to up to 18 months in prison in his $248,000 embezzlement case involving the Teamsters labor union, which cost him his seat in Springfield.

In doing so, the feds revealed that former Chicago Teamsters boss John T. Coli claimed Cullerton had been hired for what turned out to be a do-nothing Teamsters job as a favor to an unnamed senator, identified in a court memo only as “Senator A.”

“[Cullerton,] who was a state senator at the time of his illegal conduct, clearly realized that he would be able to get away with pocketing this money without doing any work simply because he was an elected official,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Amarjeet Bhachu wrote. […]

But Bhachu wrote Tuesday that Cullerton went on to land “another do-nothing job” as a salesman for a video gaming company in 2017. There, Bhachu said Cullerton’s salary doubled from $1,000 a week to $2,000 a week, in what the company owner called a mistake.

“Senator A.” Hmm.

* Also Jon Seidel…

Dealing a crucial blow to Chicago Ald. Edward M. Burke (14th) and his legal team, a federal judge Monday rejected hundreds of pages of defense motions in the once-powerful politician’s criminal case, finally clearing the way for a potential trial.

U.S. District Judge Robert Dow wrote that the combined motions from Burke, political aide Peter Andrews and developer Charles Cui “would have this court dismiss almost every charge of the indictment against all defendants.”

But the judge concluded that the motions “largely go to the strength of the evidence” and should be considered by a fact-finder — like a jury.

“It is a fact-finder’s role to assess whether the government has proven the allegations beyond a reasonable doubt at trial, not this court’s at the pleadings stage,” Dow wrote.

* And, hey, while we’re at it, here’s another one from Jon Seidel…

Federal prosecutors say former Chicago Ald. Patrick Daley Thompson should go to prison for two years for cheating on his taxes and lying to federal regulators.

But Thompson asked a federal judge to give him probation instead.

The two sides made their recommendations Monday ahead of Thompson’s sentencing before U.S. District Judge Franklin Valderrama, which is set for July 6.

“[Thompson’s] criminal conduct was repetitive and willful,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Michelle Petersen wrote in a court memo. “The defendant’s dishonesty was not a single lapse of judgment, but rather, involved years of deceit. He simply thought he could get away with paying less than what he owed. The sentence imposed must show otherwise.”

Chris Gair, Thompson’s lawyer, wrote in his own memo that Thompson has “suffered tremendous public humiliation as a result of his conviction” in February.

* One more from Jon Seidel…

A couple accused of paying more than $281,000 in kickbacks to Bloomingdale Township’s disgraced former highway commissioner pointed the finger right back at him Friday, calling Robert Czernek a liar who can’t be trusted as their federal fraud trial got underway.

Debra Fazio and Mario Giannini were charged along with Czernek back in August 2020 and accused of an eight-year scheme in which Bloomingdale Township improperly paid more than $700,000 to Bulldog Earth Movers, an excavation company owned by Fazio.

On Friday, Assistant U.S. Attorney Saurish Appleby-Bhattacharjee kicked off opening statements in the trial of Fazio and Giannini. He told jurors “greed” led the couple “to seek out easy money.”

Giannini’s attorney countered the case was really about “trust” — and whether jurors could believe Czernek, who is now the feds’ key witness in the trial.

* OK, last Jon Seidel story for now…

Twelve Illinois residents are among nearly two dozen people who face federal charges for an alleged $26 million insurance-fraud scheme that lasted nearly a decade.

Prosecutors say the defendants filed false applications to get life insurance policies and then tricked carriers into paying death benefits by lying about the identities of deceased people.

The feds say the defendants would pay premiums on the policies for two years, until the period for contestability expired. Claims for death benefits would then be submitted using false death certificates. The defendants are also accused of lying to law enforcement, first responders, medical personnel, funeral home staff and cemetery employees.

The indictment seeks forfeiture of at least $26 million in alleged ill-gotten gains, as well as nine luxury vehicles, eight Rolex watches and properties in Orland Park, Bridgeview and Burbank.

Those charged from the Chicago area include James Mills, Juley Ely, Ginger Ely and Joe Rouga of Oak Lawn; Frank Costello of Hoffman Estates; Mary Bacco of Bridgeview; Steve Montega, Niko Ristick and Ricky Blanca of Orland Park; Mark Blanca and Diana Lumas of Burbank; and Joe John of Arlington Heights.