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Big fed bust in Chicago * UPDATED x1 *

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Illinois

* From a press release…

Patrick J. Fitzgerald, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; Thomas P. Brady, Postal Inspector-in-Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service; Robert D. Grant, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; and David Hoffman, Inspector General for the City of Chicago, will hold a press conference at 2 p.m. today, Thursday May 22, 2008, to announce federal public corruption charges against 15 defendants, including developers, contractors and seven City of Chicago inspectors or other employees, who were arrested yesterday and today for allegedly receiving and paying bribes regarding City building, zoning and construction permits. […]

The defendants will appear 3 p.m. today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Martin Ashman in U.S. District Court in Chicago. [emphasis added]

* Tribune…

The case includes developers, contractors and City of Chicago inspectors or other employees who were arrested yesterday and today for allegedly receiving and paying bribes regarding City building, zoning and construction permits, the U.S. attorney’s office announced. […]

The investigation targeted employees who allegedly took money to influence zoning applications or alter building plans, authorities said. It was not immediately clear when those charged would make their first appearances at the Dirksen U.S. Courthouse.

* Sun-Times…

An $87,108-a-year city plumbing inspector was picked up by federal agents this morning, touching off a new round of charges involving allegations of corruption and bribery in the city of Chicago’s Building and Zoning Departments.

Mario Olivella, a 10-year city employee, was one of 15 people — including seven city employees — arrested Wednesday and today in the latest chapter of a joint investigation between Inspector General David Hoffman’s office and the federal government.

*** UPDATE *** Fitzgerald’s office has just released the names. Read the press release by clicking here.

* From the release…

Dumitru Curescu, 46, his wife, Lavinia Curescu, 42, both of Skokie;
Vasile Fofiu, 57, of Skokie; Beny Garneata, 43,of Lincolnwood; Mario Olivella, 40, of Chicago; Teofil Scorte, 27, of Morton Grove; and William Wellhausen, 50, of Chicago – were charged with conspiracy to bribe City officials between June and December 2007 regarding a condominium conversion project […]

Two defendants – Ronald Piekarz, 47, of Chicago, and MacArthur Milam, 56, of Chicago, were charged with conspiring with Garneata, Phyllis Mendenhall, an inquiry aide in the Buildings Department, and others to commit bribery between October and December 2007. […]

Phyllis Mendenhall, 54, of Chicago, a city employee since 1979 and an inquiry aide in the Buildings Department, was charged with bribery […]

Petru Cladovan, 48, of Prospect Heights, a contractor and developer who owns ABC Construction & Plumbing, was the owner and developer of two properties – one located at 2754 West Washington Blvd., and the other located at 2734 North Fairfield. He was charged with paying bribes through CW1 to city officials […]

Anthony Valentino, 65,of Chicago, a city employee since 2001 and an investigator in the Zoning Department, was charged with bribery for allegedly accepting three $500 cash payments from CW1 in June and August 2007 […]

Thomas Ziroli, about to turn 62, of Chicago, a city employe since 1997 and a ventilation and furnace inspector in the Buildings Department, was charged with bribery for allegedly accepting a $500 cash bribe from CW1 on Aug. 8, 2007 […]

Louis Burns, 52, of Chicago, a city employee since 2005 and a clerk in the former Department of Construction and Permits (DCAP) until it merged this year with the Buildings Department where he now works, was charged with bribery for allegedly accepting bribe payments of $250 and $150, respectively, on July 11, 2007 and Aug. 7, 2007, from CW1 […]

Lucian Muresan, 34, of Chicago, a general contractor who owned two buildings located at 857 and 859 North Hermitage Ave., was charged with bribery for allegedly paying bribes through CW1 to city officials, believing that CW1 was passing the payments to a zoning inspector

posted by Rich Miller
Thursday, May 22, 08 @ 10:54 am

Comments

Rich,

Wait a minute… crooked developers, contractors and city inspectors?

Are you sure this happened in Chicago?

– SCAM
so-called “Austin Mayor”
http://austinmayor.blogspot.com

Comment by so-called "Austin Mayor" Thursday, May 22, 08 @ 10:57 am
The tradition continues.

The Big Heat is still on.

I’m curious to know if Inspector General Hoffman let the mayor know this was coming down. Hoffman’s in a very interesting position at City Hall since Daley seemed to wall him off.

Comment by wordslinger Thursday, May 22, 08 @ 11:01 am
David Hoffman’s independence and pursuit of corruption is driving Daley nuts - look for him to be replaced when his term is up next year. The Machine can’t function properly with fewer and fewer clout-heavy minions greasing the skids.

And what about the children?

Comment by The Doc Thursday, May 22, 08 @ 11:07 am
It’s refreshing that the City has internal controls in place that catch their employees involved in illegal activities. Oh wait, this was the U.S. Attorney’s office that caught them, right?

Comment by phocion Thursday, May 22, 08 @ 11:11 am
Fish rot at the head. But I guess the Mayor has a sufficient number of buffers to enable him to disclaim reponsibility for the corruption that permeates his regime.

Comment by Captain America Thursday, May 22, 08 @ 11:38 am
What will the interview with the Mayor be….?

( in his high squeaky voice)
I don no nuttin bout dat….
Hey there are criminals at your newspaper too…. are you one of them?
nobody sent these guys…..
Its only because youse hate the children. Dey need dere own new dungeon…..

Comment by Plutocrat03 Thursday, May 22, 08 @ 11:48 am
Step 1) Decide to build a building

Step 2) Hire State Rep to be your zoning lawyer.

Step 3) Give campaign contribution to the State Rep.

Step 4) Appear before zoning board chaired by the State Rep’s uncle, with State Rep by your side, campaign check in his pocket.

Result: Take a wild guess.

Comment by jj Thursday, May 22, 08 @ 1:33 pm
Ronald R. Piekarz, an architect with Piekarz Associates PC, is an active political donor including contributions to Troutman, Matlak, thousands to the Richard M. Daley campaign and Daley’s PAC the First Congressional District Victory Fund, and others.

Comment by BannedForLife Thursday, May 22, 08 @ 1:41 pm
Beny Garneata, owner, President, and Secretary of M 5 ELECTRICAL CONTRACTORS INC., is an active political donor including contributions to Aldermen Flores, Colon, Preckwinkle, and Richard M. Daley.

Comment by BannedForLife Thursday, May 22, 08 @ 2:06 pm
whoa! motherload!

$16K contributed under B & I ELECTRICAL CONTRACTORS, INC. same address as M 5, thousands to the 36th Ward Regular Democratic Org of zoning chair Banks, thousands to Blago, a grand to Fritchey, regular contributions to Ald. Tom Allen, and others.

Comment by BannedForLife Thursday, May 22, 08 @ 2:17 pm
Mendenhall, Phyllis Inquiry Aide III Dept Of Buildings $49,380/yr

Valentino, Anthony Zoning Investigator Dept Of Zoning $69,864/yr

Ziroli, Thomas Ventilation And Furnace Inspector Dept Of Buildings $84,864/yr

Burns, Louis Clerk II Dept Of Buildings $26,748/yr

salaries courtesy of BGA

Comment by BannedForLife Thursday, May 22, 08 @ 2:33 pm
Wellhausen, William Zoning Investigator Dept Of Zoning $77,484/yr

Olivella, Mario Plumbing Inspector I/C Dept Of Buildings $89,760/yr

Milam, Macarthur Supervising Ventilation And Furnace Inspector, Dept Of Buildings $85,654/yr

YOU try getting by in this Ciyt for $89K!

Comment by BannedForLife Thursday, May 22, 08 @ 2:39 pm
can we start a thread in anticipation of Daley’s top 10 reactions?

I’ll start

“Anytime you have permits, you’re gonna have corruption. You’re gonna have it.”

“There’s what? thousands of employees in those depts - Zoning, Buildings, and Permits”

Comment by BannedForLife Thursday, May 22, 08 @ 3:09 pm
“That’s why we need the Olympics.”

“I’m very passionate about children.”

Comment by BannedForLife Thursday, May 22, 08 @ 3:16 pm
With this newest scandal it’s even more clear that Chicago government is a racketeering enterprise from top to bottom.Fitzgerald should charge Chicago under RICO and have a federal oversight board run Chicago for a couple of years.A smaller city council and term limits is also needed.Plus getting rid of residency requirement for city workers so government workers couldn’t be part of a patronage army.

Comment by Steve Thursday, May 22, 08 @ 3:45 pm
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Pingback by Chicago City Government Arrested for Bribery - A Chicago Blog Thursday, May 22, 08 @ 4:10 pm
corruption only exists in developing countries, not this one. right? right?

Comment by b-dogg Thursday, May 22, 08 @ 4:46 pm
These crumbs look like small beer — so I assume that Fitz’s office will do its squeeze/deal/flip/move-up routine a couple more times before this all shakes out.

– SCAM
so-called “Austin Mayor”
http://austinmayor.blogspot.com

Comment by so-called "Austin Mayor" Thursday, May 22, 08 @ 4:53 pm
“Eh….eh….corruption, what corruption?? We got a few bad apples that’s all. You never write about good things in Chicago. You got corruption at the Tribune and Sun-Times, why don’t you investigate that? Huh, huh? This is silly, silly, silly, silly.”

Comment by Independent Thursday, May 22, 08 @ 5:01 pm
Responding to ‘phocion’, the city’s Inspector General’s office worked hand-in-hand with the FBI and US Attorney’s office in this case (the feds referred to it as a “joint investigation” today). The IG’s office works with the feds regularly. If you asked the feds five years ago if they’d work with the IG (Vroustouris), they’d have laughed you out of the office, since no one in the OIG could be trusted at the time.

Comment by Bulldog Thursday, May 22, 08 @ 7:44 pm
The Mer: What corruption? Hey, you have rats, you have food all-over. You have contracts, people money…there you have it.”

Comment by Chicago Dem Thursday, May 22, 08 @ 10:03 pm
Zoning Corruption. Unless you have the inside track.

Comment by Anon Thursday, May 22, 08 @ 11:36 pm
Daley & Blagojevich

It’s ILLINOIS…..

Comment by Two Bad Apples Friday, May 23, 08 @ 6:46 am