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Bloomingdale Township road commissioner charged with taking kickbacks

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Illinois

The elected head of the Bloomingdale Township highway commission has been charged in federal court in Chicago with taking $280,000 in kickbacks from the owner of an excavation company in exchange for approving road contracts for road work that in most cases was never performed.

Robert Czernek was charged in a 20-count indictment made public Thursday with taking the kickbacks from Debra Fazio, owner of Bloomingdale-based Bulldog Earth Movers Inc., over a period of more than eight years.

In exchange, Czernek used his official position to approve more than $700,000 in payments for stone delivery, dump leveling, and storm sewer invoices submitted by Fazio’s company to Bloomingdale Township, according to the indictment.

Czernek approved the invoices knowing that much of the work and services had not actually been performed, the indictment states.

* Sun-Times…

Czernek allegedly left handwritten notes for Giannini on Bloomingdale Township Highway Department property as part of the scheme.

The 20-count indictment charges Czernek, Fazio and Giannini with 14 counts of honest services wire fraud. Fazio is also charged with six counts of money laundering. Arraignments for the trio have not been scheduled.

Federal authorities in January sought various records from the Bloomingdale Township Highway Department, including its surveillance systems, Czernek’s desk calendar and “any handwritten notes describing construction, excavation and/or road work purportedly performed.”

The indictment is here.

posted by Rich Miller
Thursday, Aug 27, 20 @ 3:37 pm

Comments

Are the Feds handling all unfinished business before the election blackout?

Looks like it(?)

Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Aug 27, 20 @ 3:46 pm
Corruption in DuPage County? This has to be a first/s

Comment by DuPage Saint Thursday, Aug 27, 20 @ 3:47 pm
This looks like more good work by John Lausch, Amar Bhachu, their staff, and the case agents.

Comment by Keyrock Thursday, Aug 27, 20 @ 3:50 pm
Feeling mixed feelings with my township making the news (exciting) but for bad reasons (bribery).

While DuPage is far different from when I moved her in the 1980s in terms of elected officials overall (state reps and senators, Congressional reps), the local level stuff pretty much remains uncontested. At least this one job should be up for grabs now.

Comment by DuPage Dave Thursday, Aug 27, 20 @ 3:56 pm
Goodbye townships. You won’t be missed.

Comment by Simple Simon Thursday, Aug 27, 20 @ 3:57 pm
John Lausch the bipartisan corruption fighter

Comment by Donnie Elgin Thursday, Aug 27, 20 @ 4:02 pm
“big city corruption”

Comment by NIU Grad Thursday, Aug 27, 20 @ 4:30 pm
Lausch is a Big Big name in Illinois politics.

Comment by Frumpy White Guy Thursday, Aug 27, 20 @ 4:43 pm
=== Lausch is a Big Big name===

Meh. He’s no Thompson or Fitzgerald yet.

Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Aug 27, 20 @ 4:47 pm
This article should be posted at assessors office window for people paying 2nd installment of Real Estate taxes on September 1

Comment by DuPage Saint Thursday, Aug 27, 20 @ 5:19 pm
You don’t pay your taxes at the Assessor’s office. County Treasurer’s office or at my bank as I do.

Comment by Narrator Thursday, Aug 27, 20 @ 7:12 pm
How hard is it to follow the rules and laws in this state? Haven’t elected officials seen enough examples is what happens when they get caught?
Oh, but I forgot. Rules don’t apply to elected officials according to Darren Bailey.

Comment by thoughts matter Thursday, Aug 27, 20 @ 9:27 pm
Quoting a famous politician…

“THERE’S ONLY ONE THING WORSE THAN A DEFEATED POLITICIAN AND THAT’S A BROKE ONE”-Paul Powell.

Comment by Bull Dawg Bob Friday, Aug 28, 20 @ 11:58 am