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Former state Rep. Luis Arroyo changes plea to guilty in bribery case

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Illinois

Former Illinois state Rep. Luis Arroyo returned to court Wednesday to plead guilty in a federal bribery case.

Prosecutors said the Democratic lawmaker paid a bribe to a state senator in exchange for support of a gambling bill that would have benefited one of Arroyo’s clients.

* Tribune…

Arroyo, 67, who resigned soon after he was charged with bribery in October 2019, changed his plea during a telephone hearing before U.S. District Judge Steven Seeger. Sentencing was set for Feb. 18. […]

A superseding indictment filed last year added new wire and mail fraud charges against Arroyo and also charged James T. Weiss with bribery, wire fraud, mail fraud and lying to the FBI. Weiss, who is married to Berrios’ daughter, former state Rep. Toni Berrios, has pleaded not guilty.

The case centers on the largely uncharted world of sweepstakes machines, sometimes called “gray machines,” which allow customers to put in money, receive a coupon to redeem for merchandise online and then play electronic games like slot machines.

Since the machines can be played for free, they are not considered gambling devices. Critics, however, contend the unregulated devices, which operate in cities like Chicago that have banned video gambling, are designed to skirt the law.

* Sun-Times…

Weiss managed Collage LLC, which operated unlicensed video gambling machines known as sweepstakes machines. The indictment alleged that Weiss paid bribes to Arroyo from November 2018 until October 2019, cutting checks from Collage to Arroyo’s Spartacus 3 LLC.

It also said Weiss was there on Aug. 2, 2019, when Arroyo asked Link to support sweepstakes legislation. The men met at a Highland Park restaurant, according to a criminal complaint. Afterward, when Arroyo and Link were alone outside the restaurant, Arroyo suggested to Link he could be paid for his support, according to the complaint.

“We could put you on a contract. … Tell me what you need,” Arroyo said, according to the document.

Weeks later, it said Arroyo gave the senator the first of what he promised would become monthly payments of $2,500.

“This is the jackpot,” Arroyo boasted, according to the complaint.

I still can’t get over Luis calling $2,500 a “jackpot.” The penny ante nature of so much corruption has always boggled my mind.

posted by Rich Miller
Wednesday, Nov 3, 21 @ 12:40 pm

Comments

Paying and taking bribes has long been a way of life in Chicago politics. Perhaps because so many employees and public officials grew up in that culture, the supply of folks willing to take money was way too large. Maybe, ironically, the large supply kept the price low.

Comment by Keyrock Wednesday, Nov 3, 21 @ 12:51 pm
There is that old story about Winston Churchill and ‘we know what you are, now we just need to establish a price’ once you decided to cross that bridge you have decided to do so and the rewards aren’t the motivator.

Comment by OneMan Wednesday, Nov 3, 21 @ 12:52 pm
Silver Shovel crimes were usually in the few thousand dollar range. Amazing how little some public officials value their integrity.

Comment by Chicago Cynic Wednesday, Nov 3, 21 @ 12:52 pm
Glad that these are federal charges, he has family on the County Board.

Comment by Donnie Elgin Wednesday, Nov 3, 21 @ 12:59 pm
===Silver Shovel crimes were usually in the few thousand dollar range.===

Yep. Jim Laski went to federal prison for taking something like $1500 from his (former) best friend in exchange for getting the guy’s truck into the hired truck program.

Agree 100%. It’s mind-boggling.

Comment by 47th Ward Wednesday, Nov 3, 21 @ 1:00 pm
$2,500 every month tax free is penny ante?

Its a little less than 1/2 of their $67,000 salary

Comment by Lucky Pierre Wednesday, Nov 3, 21 @ 1:05 pm
Same as it ever was… never take the money.

Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Nov 3, 21 @ 1:07 pm
Yes, LP. It’s penny ante. Any idea how much Luis has had to spend on lawyers? Nevermind the loss of that job, the public humiliation and prison. Ain’t worth it.

Comment by Rich Miller Wednesday, Nov 3, 21 @ 1:13 pm
Lion meat

Comment by TradedUpForMitch Wednesday, Nov 3, 21 @ 1:19 pm
Now the bargaining really begins.

“Guilty pleas in political corruption cases usually mean the defendant will cooperate with the feds in other cases”

Comment by Donnie Elgin Wednesday, Nov 3, 21 @ 1:22 pm
“Another one bites the dust..” Lui was a good man but we always worried about him and his wise-cracker jokes.

How clever - was it really worth it for the $2,500 pesos monthly installments?

And former sen. Link - you lied when questioned by the Springfield press about being the ‘mole’…your side job…as you were part of the game after all.

Comment by Pizza Man Wednesday, Nov 3, 21 @ 1:27 pm
It’s only penny ante if we assume this was a one time transgression and not part of a larger or on-going pattern.

Comment by Pundent Wednesday, Nov 3, 21 @ 1:34 pm
===It’s only penny ante if we assume this was a one time transgression===

He was supposed to get it monthly.

Comment by Rich Miller Wednesday, Nov 3, 21 @ 1:37 pm
===He was supposed to get it monthly.===

It’s not about the money. It’s about the habits of a person’s entire adult life.

Comment by Three Dimensional Checkers Wednesday, Nov 3, 21 @ 1:40 pm
=== It’s about the habits of a person’s entire adult life.===

Where can I find that in the criminal code?

Never take the money, no worries.

Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Nov 3, 21 @ 1:41 pm
Hopefully sentencing takes place in the spring so he can enjoy one last winter in Marco Island at his palatial pad down there. At least he was trying to be subtle when on the take.

Comment by Red Ranger Wednesday, Nov 3, 21 @ 1:46 pm
Another major elected politician pleads guilty before trial. The feds are doing so well on this investigation they might forget how to try a political corruption case.

Comment by Bruce Rauner's Uber Driver Wednesday, Nov 3, 21 @ 1:47 pm
he is a petty, greedy, jerk. and not just from this case, but watching him in action. buh bye. or is that buh buy?

Comment by Amalia Wednesday, Nov 3, 21 @ 1:53 pm
So what’s the update with Berrios’ son-in-law, James Weiss?

The sidekick, while he may have pled “not guilty”, he set to be joining Lui as it’s alleged that he was the ‘founder and CEO’ who issued ‘donations’ on behalf of the sweepstakes gambling cause.

How generous and kind he was.

Comment by Pizza Man Wednesday, Nov 3, 21 @ 1:58 pm
Speaking of dipping one’s beak…is anyone planning a going away party for Eddie Vrdolyak? Looks like he’ll be heading to Minnesota at the end of November.

This time it’s for eighteen months in the can for round two. Where’s Michael Monico?

Comment by Rudy’s teeth Wednesday, Nov 3, 21 @ 2:05 pm
Well obviously he didn’t think he would get caught

there is a lot of that going around lately

Comment by Lucky Pierre Wednesday, Nov 3, 21 @ 2:08 pm
Many years ago, I helped prepare data and notes for legislative hearings. I would help prep the executive staff. Some member(retired) dreaded going in front of committees Luis was on. There were always off-the wall questions, questions that had already been asked and questions that were irrelevant. He was very hard to prepare for.

Comment by Jockey Wednesday, Nov 3, 21 @ 2:16 pm
That’s the world today, bad things happening to good honest people. Maybe Tucker Carlson will have a program to shed light on his poor treatment. s/

Comment by ElTacoBandito Wednesday, Nov 3, 21 @ 2:18 pm
===Where can I find that in the criminal code?===

It’s right next to the provision that says the criminal code doesn’t apply if you use the magic words.

Comment by Three Dimensional Checkers Wednesday, Nov 3, 21 @ 2:37 pm
60 day clock about up on former Speaker.

Comment by Watchful eye. Wednesday, Nov 3, 21 @ 3:02 pm
===60 day clock about up on former Speaker===

We don’t know it’s about Himself yet, but the clock expires in 5 days.

Comment by Rich Miller Wednesday, Nov 3, 21 @ 3:09 pm
@Jockey…spot on. the guy is only relevant to himself.

Comment by Amalia Wednesday, Nov 3, 21 @ 3:45 pm
=Another major elected politician=

When you think Luis Arroyo was a ‘major’ elected politician….lol

I too fail to understand why these jamokes go on the take for so very, very little. I suppose if you’re getting envelopes from multiple sources…but that just increases your exposure. They’d be better off going for the big haul like the former Speaker of the Ohio House. At least then when you get caught, no one will be talking about your broke-a@@ taking a bribe that only covers a single mortgage payment.

Comment by Joe Bidenopolous Wednesday, Nov 3, 21 @ 3:52 pm
Yep Ur right

Comment by Watchful eye. Wednesday, Nov 3, 21 @ 3:54 pm
===’major’ elected politician….lol===

He gave up his leadership spot to chair a newly created (by MJM) committee to spend infrastructure dollars. That ain’t no back-bencher.

Comment by Rich Miller Wednesday, Nov 3, 21 @ 3:56 pm
Rich, thanks for the reminder re Arroyo’s chair of infrastructure committee. Can you imagine the real damage he could’ve done if he were still chair when federal BBB $$$$ came to IL ? Red light camera x 100

Comment by Scott Cross for President Wednesday, Nov 3, 21 @ 4:34 pm
=== I still can’t get over Luis calling $2,500 a “jackpot.” ===

All the weirder when you consider that he could have just quit the legislature, started a Statehouse lobbying practice and commanded substantially more than $2,500 a month in fees.

Comment by Bud's Bar Stool Wednesday, Nov 3, 21 @ 4:53 pm
Get corporate and multi-national money out of our politics. Make politician’s sentencing longer and stronger, hold them accountable. This is just a small part of a much larger enterprise - as we all know.

Comment by It's Not Me . . . Wednesday, Nov 3, 21 @ 8:13 pm
Rich, it isn’t about the money. It’s about the power. They want power and influence over others. It’s a sickness.

Comment by Just Me 2 Thursday, Nov 4, 21 @ 6:28 am
=== I still can’t get over Luis calling $2,500 a “jackpot.” ===

That kind of reminds me of the many 70s/early 80s era network game shows where you had contestants jumping up and down and celebrating constantly over a cash grand prize of about $5000 or less. Even though in today’s money that’s anywhere between $15-20K today.

Comment by NonAFSCMEStateEmployeeFromChatham Thursday, Nov 4, 21 @ 7:47 am
Not trying to be inflammatory–but just sharing an experience I had. I once worked for a state agency that Arroyo’s public safety aprop committee oversaw. When we met with him to prep for our budget hearing, we were told by our liaison and several others in a matter of fact sort of way that no one should meet with him alone because he was a corrupt and probably going to be indicted at some point.

Comment by Interested observer Thursday, Nov 4, 21 @ 9:25 am