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* Jason Meisner at the Tribune…
Federal prosecutors are asking for a prison sentence of about three years for a Chicago lawyer accused of scheming with former Ald. Edward Vrdolyak to reap millions of dollars in legal fees from the state’s massive settlement with the tobacco companies despite having done no work on the case.
Daniel Soso, 67, pleaded guilty last year to one count of income tax evasion for his role in the scheme, which prosecutors said netted Soso and Vrdolyak at least a combined $10 million in illicit payments from the historic $9.3 billion settlement beginning in 1999.
Soso is scheduled to be sentenced next week by U.S. District Judge Robert Dow. Vrdolyak, 82, who also pleaded guilty, faces up to about 2½ years in prison when he is sentenced April 2.
In a court filing Tuesday, prosecutors said that sparing Soso from a significant term behind bars would “contribute to the current climate of cynicism that well-heeled white collar criminal defendants and the politically connected are held to to a different standard than others.”
Gee, I wonder what white-collar, politically connected criminal recently in the news for being held to a different standard they might be referring to here? Any guesses?
posted by Rich Miller
Thursday, Feb 27, 20 @ 10:09 am
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Jussie?
Comment by O’Malley Thursday, Feb 27, 20 @ 10:15 am
One has to ask with the State in such bad financial shape why no AG has gone into court to reclaim those attorney fees. Under the applicable rules a fee sharing agreement must be in writing and disclosed to the client. And there is no statute of limitations applicable to the State when suing as the sovereign. The State could probably. Lao sue Berman for the feed pId to him. Ryan claims no one told him so why didn’t Lisa Madigan go get the money back and why isn’t Raoul doing so now
Comment by Sue Thursday, Feb 27, 20 @ 10:18 am
Good thing these are Fed Charges. Keeps Fast Eddie’s wife Chief Justice Anne Burke, from ever needing to recuse herself on appeal.
Comment by Donnie Elgin Thursday, Feb 27, 20 @ 10:18 am
I know they mean Rod, but I wonder if the defense is gonna mention DOJ’s weird second sentencing memo for Stone that tried to circumvent the guidelines, to ask for less time.
Comment by Perrid Thursday, Feb 27, 20 @ 10:20 am
===Fast Eddie’s wife Chief Justice Anne Burke===
Are you really that stupid? Because if you are, I’d suggest you find another place to comment.
Comment by Rich Miller Thursday, Feb 27, 20 @ 10:21 am
Can’t wait to toast Eddie Vrdolyak’s arrival in the slammer for round two. Will enjoy a glass of slivovitz to celebrate his incarceration.
Comment by Rudy’s teeth Thursday, Feb 27, 20 @ 10:31 am
ERV might keep the streak alive of one incarcerated former pol in prison?
Can’t see an easier sentence for the former 10th Ward alderman. He’s a repeat offender.
At 82, whew. Was it worth it?
Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Feb 27, 20 @ 10:35 am
Man, these are tough times to be a white collar criminal.
Comment by SAP Thursday, Feb 27, 20 @ 10:35 am
Bernie Kerik?
Comment by Rich Hill Thursday, Feb 27, 20 @ 10:38 am
My bad, got my corrupt officials mixed up.
Comment by Donnie Elgin Thursday, Feb 27, 20 @ 10:38 am
It isnt blago. Blago a convicted felon who did 8 years. He just did a reduced sentence. Anybody care to do 8 days in jail let alone 8 years? Dont say he got a pass. Murderers and DUI killers have served less than 8.
Comment by Boomer Thursday, Feb 27, 20 @ 10:42 am
=== It isnt (name redacted). (name redacted) a convicted felon who did 8 years. He just did a reduced sentence. Anybody care to do 8 days in jail let alone 8 years? Dont say he got a pass. Murderers and DUI killers have served less than 8.===
Thank Republican Donald Trump for minimizing corruption in Illinois.
The judicial system is trying to remind offenders and those who watch the legal system that the law matters, and isn’t arbitrary.
There was a reason the person i won’t name got 14 years. Deservedly so.
Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Feb 27, 20 @ 10:47 am
===Dont say he got a pass===
He got a pass.
Comment by Rich Miller Thursday, Feb 27, 20 @ 10:48 am
$10 million of our money fraudulently acquired by a politically connected lawyer. I cannot think of enough banned words to express my disgust)
Comment by walker Thursday, Feb 27, 20 @ 10:57 am
Rauner had someone on his payroll that was on the TRS board who directed investments to Rauner’s investment firm. That seemed like a conflict of interest. Nothing was done on state or federal levels.
Comment by DuPage Thursday, Feb 27, 20 @ 11:00 am
Well Eddy got a pass on his first sentence before the do over
And will he show up in a wheel chair or just using a walker?
Comment by DuPage Saint Thursday, Feb 27, 20 @ 11:00 am
@DuPage
Sounds like more than conflict of interest to me.
Sounds like embezzlement.
Comment by Streamwood Retiree Thursday, Feb 27, 20 @ 11:15 am
Steal 10 million get 2/12 years?
Talk about getting a pass
Comment by Lucky Pierre Thursday, Feb 27, 20 @ 11:21 am
==One has to ask with the State in such bad financial shape why no AG has gone into court to reclaim those attorney fees.==
Several reasons.
1) It is often advisable to wait for criminal procedures to end as the res judicata aspect will almost certainly affect such a claim, and may in fact be the deciding factor.
2) Attorneys fees clawback mechanisms, when they exist at all, are cumbersome.
3) You can’t get blood from a stone. Even if you get a judgment that these lawyers need to pay the state the money back, if they lawyers literally do not have that money, all you’ve got is a piece of paper.
Comment by Boog Alou Thursday, Feb 27, 20 @ 11:55 am
It really is high time they name a Prison in homage to Fast Eddie. It’s become like a Time Share for him. It’s the least we could do.
Comment by A Guy Thursday, Feb 27, 20 @ 12:03 pm
DuPage- you have your facts wrong. Levine certainly should have abstained when the TRS board voted to allocate GTCR its money but the vote was 11 to 0. Secondly Levine had nothing to do with sourcing the investment. The TRS consultant at the time was Callan and Associates. The investment was sourced, vetted and recommended to TRS by Callan’s private equity team. Given the returns on the GTCR investment- as taxpayers we all should have wished the money allocated to GRCR was three times larger.
Comment by Sue Thursday, Feb 27, 20 @ 12:07 pm
=talk about getting a pass=
Right. Trump is talking about pardoning yet another convicted felon. Crazy right?
Comment by JS Mill Thursday, Feb 27, 20 @ 12:09 pm
I met fast Eddie through Rotary. I was impressed with his first year Citrus sales. Usually our club accepts two semi-trailer loads. Eddie arranged a Vrdolyak express trailer load which by passed Springfield and went straight to Chicago Catholic Charities. He beat us all in sales that year by quite a bit.
Comment by Al Thursday, Feb 27, 20 @ 12:13 pm
What remains glaring with the whole FastEddie Tobacco Cash scandal is the utter lack of follow up on who in the IL A.G. helped put this together. jRYAN can tell us but their should be an army of assist AGs, lawyers at the other private firms, the G who can shed a little light on one the smoothest scams ever in IL.
Comment by Annonin' Thursday, Feb 27, 20 @ 12:36 pm
Annonin- actually what’s more glaring is the State never taking any legal action to negate the fee arrangement and recover any monies Vrdolyak, Soso and evening Berman received. If Ryan didn’t approve of the arrangement it’s totally void under the rules governing lawyer fee arrangements. So again if anyone from the AG’s office ever reads Capitol Fax- do your job and recover the 10 Million
Comment by Sue Thursday, Feb 27, 20 @ 4:45 pm
Whew that’s a lot of loot. Still Rita Crundwell makes them look like slackers.
Comment by Da Big Bad Wolf Thursday, Feb 27, 20 @ 6:47 pm