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A partial list of Lake County Politicians, influential power brokers, some who have been convicted, others under indictment. I will add to this list from time to time as info becomes available. Sources include publications such as the Hammond Times, Chicago Tribune, Chicago Suntimes, Gary Tribune Post and other media sources. http://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/article_decbcc06-e795-5b8c-a43b-0036497fa9cd.html CONVICTED unless otherwise indicated
1. R. O. Johnson, Mayor of Gary Johnson was convicted by the feds in 1923 of conspiracy to violate the Volstead Act. He began serving his sentence in 1925. President Calvin Coolidge, having sympathy for his plight, granted him a pardon after his release. He ran 2 more times, successfully, for mayor. Evidently the citizenry, not surprisingly, did not hold his conviction against him? http://gdynets.webng.com/Good_Gov.htm
2. Stephen R. Goot, a Hammond Attorney received a 20-year sentence, one of the stiffest given to the 16 people convicted in the Operation Bar Tab investigation of corruption in Lake County courts. Goot served as the Hammond water board lawyer until the federal investigation that led to his conviction on ticket fixing. (1991). http://www.nwitimes.com/uncategorized/article_c9e38ff7-e7e9-5f94-a9de-dd4002bcd2b3.html
3. Nick Morfas. Goot as we have read above was convicted at federal trial. The principal official with whom Goot interacted and conspired was deputy prosecutor Nick Morfas. Goot pleaded not guilty and went to trial; Morfas pleaded guilty and testified against Goot.
Morfas would steal and destroy the prosecutor's file. Sometimes Morfas would steal and destroy the court's file as well. Once the time for refiling had passed without any further action taken by the prosecutor, Goot would file a second motion to dismiss, which would be granted. A check then would be issued by the prosecutor's office to Goot, the holder of the bond receipt, but payable to the person who initially posted the bond. Goot would give this check to Morfas who would forge the payee's signature and retain the funds as his share in the scheme.
In some cases, Morfas would represent himself to DUI defendants as an attorney, sign Goot's name to the paper work or have Goot sign his name, and then steal the files and collect the fees. Morfas needed to use Goot's name because he could not use his own, being a deputy prosecutor. As a quid pro quo, Morfas either would help Goot with one of Goot's cases or would pay Goot a share of the fees. http://federal-circuits.vlex.com/vid/america-plaintiff-stephen-goot-defendant-37294529
The jury found Goot guilty on both counts and he was sentenced to two concurrent twenty-year prison terms (the statutory maximum on each count) and a $25,000.00 fine. Morfas, who was sentenced later, got four years and a $6000.00 fine.
4. Metro Holovachke, former prosecuting attorney of Lake County, Indiana, all on tax charges. http://www.justice.gov/ag/rfkspeeches/1963/01-10-1963.pdf
5. George Chacharis, Mayor of Gary, Indiana, who in approximately 1963, pleaded guilty to charges that he failed to report and pay taxes on more than $250, 000 in payoffs from construction firms. http://www.justice.gov/ag/rfkspeeches/1963/01-10-1963.pdf
6. Unsolved Murder: Hammond detectives have no doubts about who fired the fatal bullet into the back of Henry "Babe" Lopez's neck in 1979. They said they know without question who dropped a basketball-sized rock onto the gas pedal of the former East Chicago parks superintendent's city-owned vehicle, propelling his dead body into the Grand Calumet River. Yet, 30 years later, Lopez's family still lives without closure. "They believed Babe Lopez was cooperating with the federal government investigation into corruption in East Chicago," Solan told The Times. "Babe Lopez was not cooperating, and that belief cost Babe his life."
Dec. 12, 1979, the last day Lopez was seen alive Former City Clerk Charles Pacurar, now East Chicago's city controller, told Hammond police in 1980 that Lopez's death may have been related to $900,000 in Park and Recreation Bond funds. In 1974, before Lopez was parks superintendent, the City Council moved $900,000 to park development line item 713 in the budget, records state. Pacurar told police that line item did not exist. The State Board of Accounts repeatedly questioned how the park bond money had been spent, state audits from 1977 to 1983 show. The board's field examiners asked then-City Controller James Knight to determine whether the funds had been used for the purpose for which the bonds were issued. As of Aug. 19, 1982, Knight had not replied, records state.
Numerous sources told police they believed Edelmiro "Corfi" DeJesus was involved in Lopez's death. The federal Drug Enforcement Administration, FBI, and city and county authorities in Illinois and Indiana believed DeJesus was a mob assassin involved in numerous illegal activities, records state. DeJesus was shot and killed execution-style May 27, 1980 -- four months after Lopez's body was found. His death is still unsolved, East Chicago Police Chief Gus Flores said. Summers said he believes DeJesus and his cronies were responsible for executing Lopez's murder. Then DeJesus was killed because he was mouthing off about killing Lopez, Summers added. Other sources contend the murder was drug-related. But questions remained: Why was Lopez murdered? Who ordered the hit?
Summers recently told The Times the investigation into Lopez's murder "always pointed just straight in one direction" -- toward Vince Kirrin. http://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/lake/article_3e42b286-61f5-593b-9f9c-f334a8a600be.html BTW, Hammond’s Mayor, Thomas McDermott Jr has refused to answer ask several questions asked by Indiana’s State Board of Accounts.
7. Unsolved Murder: East Chicago political insider Jay Given was shot , assignation style, attending a fund raiser for up and coming politician N. Atterson Spann, inside the vestibule of the Jockey Club. 30 years later, the case remains unsolved, but evidence points to a high-ranking former East Chicago police official who it’s alleged had a long term political beef with Givens. Interesting reading http://www.nwitimes.com/news/foreign-language/politico-given-murder-remains-unsolved-nearly-years-later/article_b6ddb22f-d8d7-5e20-b6a4-9ca7bbc4f50b.html One woman, opted to spend 10 days in jail for contempt of court rather than cooperate fully with investigators. Investigators said they thought the Jockey Club worker was holding out important information. The woman felt like a "lost ball in tall weeds, ... (and) just wanted to forget that entire night," she told police. She had learned to see and not see, she said, because "in East Chicago, two people could be standing side-by-side, one could have his head blown off and the other would not have seen a thing."
8. John Nicosia, who served as East Chicago mayor from 1963 to 1971, was convicted in the late 1970s in connection with a $1 million sewer construction kickback scheme. http://www.indianabusinessnews.com/main.asp?SectionID=31&SubSectionID=76&ArticleID=61424
9. Michael Jankovich, 76, of Hobart, former Lake County assessor and longtime local Democratic power: sentenced to prison for 6 years, fined $250,000 and ordered to forfeit $11,700 in bribe receipts, after pleading guilty to charges of racketeering and extortion in soliciting bribes from businessmen in return for cutting their tax bills. Approximately 1986.
10. Frank A.J. Stodola, 66, of Hammond, a former judge and county commissioner: sentenced to 12 years in federal prison for racketeering and extortion and ordered to forfeit $10,800 in bribe money, amid charges that he sold his commissioner`s office to the highest bidder. Approximately 1986.
11. Lake County Judge Orval Anderson, was convicted of perjury (1986) for his testimony at the trial of a court administrator. The conviction was associated with Operation Bar Tab. http://articles.chicagotribune.com/1986-01-07/news/8601020398_1_indiana-judge-court-clerk-indiana-supreme-court
12. Former Lake County Sheriff Rudy Bartolomei was convicted of extortion while serving as sheriff in 1985. He entered the witness protection plan with his wife in about 1986. Interesting article by the Chicago Tribune on Bartolomei's rise to power and fall from political graces: http://articles.chicagotribune.com/1988-11-13/features/8802160613_1_jail-lake-county-highest-bidder
13. Roland D. Watson, former deputy assessor of Calumet Township, which includes the city of Gary Watson, 37, of Gary, pled guilty of having conspired to share in bribes paid by businessmen to win tax breaks for their properties.
14. Carol Sinks, 42, an East Chicago woman, pleaded guilty and was sentenced by Superior Court Judge James Clement. Sinks was fined $1,000 and given a one-year suspended jail sentence Tuesday after admitting her part in a ghost payroll scheme in Hammond.
Sinks and the late John Klobuchar, a former North Township trustee, were accused of theft, ghost employment and conspiracy in a scheme in which Klobuchar hired Sinks to manage the township`s Hammond office at a $20,500 salary while the woman was working full time for a construction company. It had been reported Klobuchar and Sinks were in a relationship. http://articles.chicagotribune.com/1989-12-13/news/8903170714_1_sinks-scheme-ghost
Klobuchar died before the case went to trial, but Lake County Prosecutor Jon DeGuilio said the guilty plea gave ``credibility to our ghost-payrolling statute.`
15. Unsolved Murder: The bodies of a man and woman found burned in a car on Gary`s south side are believed to be those of a sheriff`s deputy and his wife, authorities said Monday. The deputy had been active in several federal investigations and was scheduled to testify in an upcoming federal racketeering trial. The victims are Cpl. Gary Rosser, 42, a 15-year veteran of the Lake County Sheriff`s Department, and his wife, Teresa.
Rosser was to testify in the trial of a Merrillville councilman and suspended sheriff`s officer who is accused of involvement in a shakedown racket. http://articles.chicagotribune.com/1990-01-16/news/9001040803_1_bodies-sheriff-s-spokesman-police
16. Michael Mokol Sr, 48, a 19-year police veteran and former Merrillville town trustee, had been convicted of funneling $33,000 in bribes to former Lake County Sheriff Rudy Bartolomei, his political mentor. The payoffs in 1984 and 1985 came from Reginald P. Kinkade, an East Chicago distributor of video poker machines.
The money, in the form of political contributions, went to Sheriff Bartolomei through Mokol, buying protection from gambling raids. At the time the machines were operating legally in scores of taverns, clubs and fraternal halls in the county. Kinkade, however, paid bribes to police to avoid investigation, according to trial testimony.
Mokol was sentenced to 20 years in prison by U.S. District Judge James Moody, an angry federal judge who said society ``has a right to strike back`` at corrupt law officers. In sentencing Mokol for bribery, Moody said he was sending a message to the 190 sheriff`s police officers and 850 other law officers in local communities throughout the county that bribery is intolerable. http://articles.chicagotribune.com/1990-07-27/news/9003030302_1_gambling-raids-police-officers-law-officers
17. Alan Frost, introduced to Hammond, believed by the McDermot Sr Administration. There had been a question on how Frost readily acquired the abandoned JC Pennies building on Hohman Avenue. Frost had the full blessing of the city to remodel an old store downtown for a computer school that was supposed to bring hundreds of jobs to Hammond. He eventually went to prison after being convicted in Florida for scamming the federal government on that venture.
18. Stewart Roth, Hammond Sanitary district Supt. admitted to illegally discharging untreated waste into the Grand Calumet River. Roth plead guilty in July of 1990. Roth faced a possible prison term of 20 years and a fine of $40,000.
Problems at the plant came to the forefront in 1988, after a growing stench at the plant was reported by north side residents and a 9-foot-deep . . .an``island`` of untreated human waste in the Grand Calumet was discovered by environmentalists; that unprocessed volume ``as enough to fill the Exxon Valdez 185 times.....the raw sewage was enough to cover Hammond`s approximately 25 square miles 30 inches deep. The investigation found that Roth had reported that 30 billion gallons of sewage had been processed by the plant from Jan. 1, 1986, through May 31, 1988, when only 12 billion gallons were treated. Why he did this was never disclosed. http://articles.chicagotribune.com/1990-07-14/news/9002270497_1_raw-sewage-sanitary-board-treatment-plant Roth apparently didn't learn from his first go around.
In 2012 Roth plead guilty in Federal Court for illegal dumping. Unfortunately Roth and others operated, undiscovered for years and years, dumping untreated waste in Hammond sewage system at a company owned site at 141st St. Hammond authorities were apparently unaware this site was dumping illegal waste for years and years. It appears the city never inspected the site. So much for Hammond’s inspectional services. http://posttrib.suntimes.com/news/lake/12254534-418/manager-at-ec-business-admits-illegal-dumping.html
18. Peter Benjamin, former Lake County auditor and assessor, paying bribes to Lake County Councilman Troy Montgomery.
19. Troy Montgomery, former Lake County councilman, accepting Benjamin's bribes.
20. & 21. Lake County Judge Steven Bielak, 34, pleaded guilty in Hammond before U.S. District Judge James Moody. Bielak, A traffic court judge in Lake County, Ind., and Robert Balitewicz, 49, a court clerk pleaded guilty to mail fraud charges arising from a federal investigation of the disposition of drunk driving cases in northwest Indiana. 1991
The two had been charged by a federal grand jury in a 28-count indictment in June 1986, for failing to notify the state Bureau of Motor Vehicles of drunk-driving convictions as required by state law. http://articles.chicagotribune.com/1986-01-07/news/8601020398_1_indiana-judge-court-clerk-indiana-supreme-court http://www.justice.gov/osg/briefs/1989/sg890014.txt
22. Former Hammond City Controller Edward Brown, has pleaded guilty to income-tax charges and had cooperated with federal authorities. Brown, 42, was charged in April (1991) by the U.S. attorney's office for failure to report all his income for calendar year 1985.
June 1991, a full six years after his income tax evasion, Former city Controller Edward A. Brown implicated himself and others Thursday in a bribery scheme to protect video-poker gambling in Hammond. Brown, 42, of Hammond was pleading guilty before U.S. District Court Judge James Moody to a felony tax-fraud charge that he failed to disclose protection money he received from Reginald Kinkade.
He said Kinkade, owner of Variety Amusement Co. of East Chicago, gave him up to $4,000 each month from the fall of 1984 to the end of 1985 to keep police from seizing about 50 poker machines …
23. Vince Kirrin, an East known as a back-room politician who wielded immense influence over East Chicago and Lake County politics. Kirrin was indicted during a federal investigation into corruption in Lake County and served time in prison for conspiracy and mail fraud convictions. Kirrin died in 1998. http://articles.chicagotribune.com/1991-07-20/news/9103210240_1_bribes-cleaning-tax-fraud
Kirrin said he used elbow grease to vigorously clean the Lake County (Ind.) government center, transforming the courthouse, jail and office building ``from a pigsty into a showpiece.`` 1985-86 contract, which went to a firm nominally headed by his nephew, Joe Macko.
Macko testified that his uncle surprised him with a gift of $2,000 only days before he was called to testify under subpoena about the cleaning contract before a federal grand jury. Capp said the money was a bribe. Macko admitted he had no experience cleaning public buildings, unless``GI parties in the military`` was a qualifier. He said he performed no executive duties, and had no office.
The government contended that, in order to get the contract, Kirrin paid $30,000 in bribes to Lake County Commissioner Steve Corey. Corey denied the charge, saying any money from Kirrin was nothing more than a loan to the his family`s bakery business, and the loan had been repaid.
Former County Commissioner N. Atterson Spann testified against Kirrin, saying he and Corey were aware of Kirrin`s behind-the-scenes role. Spann is serving a 30-year federal prison sentence for taking bribes to influence county business. He said he hoped his testimony would earn him a sentence reduction.
But a federal court jury in Hammond convicted the East Chicago businessman of paying bribes to win a $246,000-a-year, no-bid contract to clean the center. Kirrin wished to avoid the public spotlight, said Capp, because he already was receiving up to $660,000 a year in county printing business.
24. Noah Atterson Spann, 48, of East Chicago, the highest elected black county executive and a fellow county commissioner with Bartolomei: sentenced to 20 years in prison for racketeering conspiracy, fined $25,000 and ordered to forfeit $29,615 in payoff money.
25. Rudy Byron, 51, of Gary, a Spann protégé and former Lake County inspector: sentenced to 9 years in prison and fined $15,000 for accepting payoffs to help two janitorial firms get lucrative county contracts and for concealing payments of $50,000 from his income-tax returns.
26. East Chicago City Councilman Frank Kollintzas, convicted for misappropriation of federal funds, lying to the FBI.
27. East Chicago City Councilman Joe De La Cruz, convicted for misappropriation of federal funds.
28. East Chicago City Controller Edwardo Maldonado, convicted for misappropriation of federal funds. Convicted a second time in July 2006 for using public money to pay his defense attorneys.
29. East Chicago City Councilman Adrian Santos, pleaded guilty to fraud and conspiracy in connection with the $24 million sidewalks-for-votes case.
30. Joel Markovich, former Lake County councilman and contractor, fraud in connection with the sidewalks-for-votes case.
31. Robert J. Velligan, contractor, tax fraud in connection with the sidewalks-for-votes case.
32. Marilyn and Gregory J. Gill, contractors, tax and bankruptcy fraud in connection with the sidewalks-for-votes case.
33. Dimitrios Sazalis, contractor, tax fraud in connection with the sidewalks-for-votes case.
34. East Chicago Parks Superintendent Jose Valdez Jr., fraud and conspiracy in connection with the sidewalks-for-votes case.
35. East Chicago City Engineer Pedro Porras, fraud and conspiracy in connection with the sidewalks-for-votes case.
36. East Chicago City Councilman Randall Artis, fraud and conspiracy in connection with the sidewalks-for-votes case.
37. Terrance Artis, brother of Randall Artis and contractor, fraud in connection with the sidewalks-for-votes case.
38. Gerry Nannenga, former carpenter's union official, accepting bribes to approve the Coffee Creek land deal.
39. Kevin Pastrick, son of former East Chicago Mayor Robert Pastrick, paying bribes to approve the Coffee Creek land deal.
40. Peter Manous, former Indiana Democratic chairman, paying bribes to approve the Coffee Creek land deal.
41. Carl Paul Ihle Jr., co-owner with Kevin Pastrick of Sand Creek Sales, forging documents and lying about the Coffee Creek land deal.
42. & 43. Katie Hall and Junifer Hall, In May 2002, Katie Hall, again serving as Gary City Clerk, and her daughter, Chief Deputy Clerk Junifer Hall, were indicted by a federal grand jury on charges of racketeering, conspiracy to commit racketeering, extortion, and mail fraud.
Junifer Hall was also charged with five counts of perjury. Hall eventually pleaded guilty to mail fraud and was sentenced to house arrest and probation. Junifer Hall was sentenced to 16 months in federal prison. Gary city clerk, was convicted of extorting $19,000 in campaign contributions from office employees. Hall was Indiana's first African-American member of Congress. Someone in her office reached out to federal authorities asking for relief.
44. Jojuana Meeks, embezzling money from Gary Urban Enterprise Association. This embezzlement involved millions, upon millions of dollars, diverted from its original use to revitalize Gary for personal use. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gary_Urban_Enterprise_Association
45. Wanda Joshua, convicted with skimming money from a federal grant to Calumet Township.
46. Charmaine Pratchett, embezzling money from GUEA.
47. Derrick Earls, embezzling from GUEA board.
48. Johnnie Wright, embezzling from GUEA board.
49. Greg Hill, contractor who didn't report GUEA income.
50. Will Smith Jr., Lake County Council president, tax evasion for a questionable land deal with GUEA.
51. Roosevelt Powell, former delinquent tax collector for Lake County, tax evasion, theft conspiracies involving GUEA land deals.
52. Former East Chicago Police Chief Edward Samuels, ghost employment as a security guard in a city housing project.
53. East Chicago Building Commission Miguel "Mike" Arredondo, ghost employment as a security guard in a city housing project.
54. Gary City Parks Superintendent Kimberly Lyles, lying to federal agents about influence peddling.
55. Assistant County Building Administrator Jan Allison, extortion.
56. G. Gregory Cvitkovich, former North Township trustee, tax fraud.
57. James H. Fife III, a former special assistant to the East Chicago mayor, federal tax fraud.
58. Karen Krahn-Fife, federal tax fraud.
59. Robert White, Gary city councilman, fraud.
60. Lake County Recorder Morris Carter, extortion.
61. Paul Hernandez, union fraud and corruption.
62. Ken Castaldi, union fraud and corruption.
63. Otho Lyles III, tax evasion and lying to FBI in Gary City Hall investigation.
64. Jewell Harris Sr Convicted of double-billing Gary for debris-hauling work at The Steel Yard stadium. Harris was once one of the most powerful political figures in Gary. Harris, former Mayor Scott King’s campaign manager until the two had a bitter split, had been charged with seven counts of money laundering and mail and wire fraud stemming from work Harris did hauling debris from the stadium site in 2001. Convicted that he bilked the city out of $1.5 million while working on the $45 million baseball stadium.
65. Willie Harris, Gary attorney, tax evasion, theft conspiracies involving GUEA land deals.
66. Bob Cantrell , a long time East Chicago political operative. Cantrell was reportedly behind McDermott Sr first run for Hammond Mayor, was convicted of tax evasion and insurance fraud. Cantrell used his influence with area elected officials, judges., etc to obtain contracts for a counseling company owned and operated by Nancy Fromm. Cantrell's income was reported in federal transcripts to be over $200,000 a year. Who says crime doesn't pay?
67. Nancy Fromm, addiction counselor, lying to federal agents. Fromm reportedly derived substantial income for referrals tor her company, due to Bobby Cantrell's political connections.
68. Former Schererville Town Judge Deborah Riga, fraud in using office to personally benefit her family business.
69. Ann Marie Karras , age 65 of Gary, guilty in April 2009 of two fraud counts for taking checks from a federal contract between 2000 and 2002. (Seven Years Later ) Karras was serving as Calumet Township as the Deputy of Finance.
Co-conspirators Calumet Township Trustee, Dozier T. Allen, Jr., and three of his senior employees at the trustee’s office, Wanda Joshua, and Albert Young, Jr. were charged and found guilty of mail fraud. http://www.justice.gov/usao/inn/press_release/documents/2007/September_07/DAllen_9.20-indicted.htm
70. Dozier Allen, Calumet Township Trustee, convicted with skimming money from a federal grant to Calumet Township, found guilty.
71. Albert Young Jr., who signed a plea agreement and admitted guilt, to two years on probation, convicted with skimming money from a federal grant to Calumet Township. http://www.justice.gov/usao/inn/press_release/documents/2007/September_07/DAllen_9.20-indicted.htm 72. Morris Carter, County Recorder took a $1,000 bribe. http://articles.chicagobreakingnews.com/2010-08-25/news/28516846_1_schererville-town-judge-east-chicago-city-council-robert-pastrick 73. Jerry Haymon has plead guilty, per court records, a year after their indictment on on charges of wire fraud and aggravated identity theft.
The defendants (Drago-Hunter, Jerry Haymon, Sheila Chandler and Phillip Rucker) were indicted on charges of wire fraud and aggravated identity theft accused of funneling the more than $300,000 to themselves between October 2007 and November 2008 by inflating the purchase prices of four Gary properties, faking buyers' financial security, forging loan documents and filing fake mechanic's liens against three of the four properties for work that never was done, federal records state.http://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/lake/hammond/former-gary-city-official-nearing-plea-deal-in-federal-fraud/article_8002b627-2f2e-5032-8cfa-c8148cd40e08.html
74. Jacquelyn Drago-Hunter, Gary HUD Official, October 6, 2011 was suspended for her October 2010 federal indictment for her suspected involvement in an alleged real estate fraud scheme. Drago-Hunter is responsible for administering millions of dollars of federal money to dozens of social service agencies. The former director of community development for the city of Gary admitted Friday morning (01/13/2011) in federal court to working with a local businessman in a mortgage fraud scheme that took in almost $200,000. Jacquelyn Drago-Hunter plead guilty to one count of wire fraud.http://posttrib.suntimes.com/news/lake/9993779-418/former-gary-official-pleads-guilty-to-mortgage-scheme.html
HUD spokesman Jerry Brown said. “Gary has to help itself by cleaning up its act. It’s going to take that type of commitment in building its track record if the city is going to continue getting federal funds.†April 19th, 2012 sentenced to spend 15 months in prison in addition to paying restitution of almost $88,000, a federal judge ruled Thursday afternoon.
75. Sheila Chandler has plead guilty, per court records, a year after her indictment on charges of wire fraud and aggravated identity theft. http://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/lake/hammond/former-gary-city-official-nearing-plea-deal-in-federal-fraud/article_8002b627-2f2e-5032-8cfa-c8148cd40e08.html
76. Frederick M. Cuppy, 70, Merrillville’s former town attorney and Peter G. Rogan, 65, formerly of Valparaiso, were charged October 3rd, 2011 in Chicago in connection with their roles in hiding money from federal investigators and a bank, according to the U.S. Attorney’s office in Chicago. Cuppy was charged with one count of conspiracy to obstruct justice, three counts of perjury and three counts of obstruction of justice. http://posttrib.suntimes.com/news/lake/8018706-418/former-merrillville-attorney-indicted-by-feds.html Cuppy is accused of hiding funds so that Rogan could avoid paying $188 million in judgment awarded against him in 2006.
77. Marilyn Krusas, 69, a Gary City Councilwoman since 2000, was charged with one count of tax evasion. Federal authorities allege Krusas failed to file tax returns since 1991. http://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/lake/hammond/feds-nab-nwi-officials-on-tax-fraud-other-charges/article_3fe970a9-3e39-53a9-a23f-56b43e98837a.html
In addition to failing to file returns, officials allege she failed to pay taxes on an inheritance she received in the 2009-2010 tax year. The inheritance was $230,000.Krusas was scheduled for her initial appearance at 12:45 today.
78. George Pabey, E. Chicago Mayor , convicted on stealing less than $15,000
79. Jose Camacho, East Chicago conviction along with Pabey.
80 & 81. The former treasurer for East Chicago's public schools will plead guilty to receiving a bribe — a federal offense that could carry a maximum sentence of up to 10 years in prison. Francisco "Frank" Ramirez, 49, of East Chicago, exchanged a school contract with a local construction company for thousands of dollars in free home repairs, according to a plea agreement filed Monday. Ramirez and Geraldo "Jerry" Lozano, 34, of Hobart, were indicted Thursday. The indictment was unsealed Friday. Lozano, who owned Green Tree Builders, is charged with paying a bribe to an agent or local government receiving federal funds, while Ramirez was charged with receiving that bribe. In 2008, East Chicago's schools received more than $10,000 in federal funding. http://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/lake/east-chicago/former-e-c-school-treasurer-to-plead-guilty-to-accepting/article_a7eff7f7-583a-5f59-a47a-9fa2a4d9a8f8.html#ixzz1p2QVuXvM
Ramirez plead guilty. To receive the most benefit from his plea agreement, Ramirez must provide information that leads to a separate criminal prosecution, Assistant U.S. Attorney Gary Bell said during the hearing. Lozano was convicted and received 21 months in a federal prison.http://posttrib.suntimes.com/news/lake/17391282-418/lozano-gets-21-months-for-bribery.html
82. Thomas Philpot, has held several county offices for 21 years, and currently the Lake County Coroner, was convicted on 08/24/12 after a 5 day trial. Philpot received a 18 month sentence. Some believe Philpot may have shared information with authorities in exchange for such a short sentence. Philpot was convicted of pocketed more than $24,000 from Indiana's federally funded child support incentive funds. He controlled the funds between 2004 and 2009 while serving as Lake County clerk. The fund were intended, as bonuses for line staff. Philpot and his two administrative assistants apparently pocketed the vast majority of these funds over the years Philpot held the County Clerk's Office. Philpot's education as a licensed attorney and medical doctor/podiatrist, appeared to work against him at trial.
The law forbids elected officials from giving themselves such bonuses without the approval of the seven-member fiscal body called the County Council.
The conviction strips Philpot from office as county coroner and all but ends his public career, which includes election as county coroner in 1992, 1996 and 2008; election as county clerk in 2002 and 2006; and his unsuccessful campaigns for Hammond mayor in 1995 and 1999, and for sheriff in 2010. http://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/lake/philpot-guilty-on-all-five-counts/article_2ab1a901-230b-5114-8ebe-91b84326c1f3.html
83. Under investigation is Virlissa Crenshaw, a niece through marriage of Bernie Carter, Lake County's Prosecutor, used her position as a court clerk to allegedly pocket $310,000 in traffic court bond money over a span of five years. This was according to a State Board of Accounts audit for Merriville. September 2011.
84. The FBI raided George Van Till's Office in 2012 confiscating computer records. Mr. VanTil is the Lake County Surveyor. A Grand Jury has been chaired investigating some matter in his office. The specific focus of the grand jury is unknown.
85. Alfonso Salinas Hammond 2nd District councilman in Hammond, was charged with receipt of a bribe by an agent of local government who was receiving federal funds.
Federal authorities allege that Salinas steered city tree cutting business to David Johnson, 56, of Munster, owner of Dave’s Tree Service. (Note David Johnson was a benefactor of the East Chicago Sidewalks for vote scandal, his company reportedly did hundreds of thousands of dollars of work in E. Chicago. Some say either McDermott or Cantrell or both brought Johnson into Hammond to continue the patronage tree).
Salinas is alleged to have steered $300,000 in casino funds that he had at his disposal to Johnson's company for tree cutting and tree removal work. Federal authorities further allege Salinas took a $10,500 kickback for steering the work Johnson’s way. Johnson was charged with payment of a bribe to an agent of local government. (Johnson later plead guilty). Salinas is also charged with four counts of willful failure to file tax returns from 2006 to 2009. http://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/lake ... 8837a.html
86. Juda Parks, 40, of East Chicago, is charged with two counts of failure to file income tax returns for years 2008 and 2009. Parks, and East Chicago City Councilman since 2008 and an East Chicago police officer, has signed a plea agreement admitting guilt on all charges.
Parks has agreed to cooperate with the federal government on other unspecified cases, according to federal authorities. (interesting statement) http://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/lake ... 8837a.html
87. Manuel Montalvo, 38, of East Chicago, is charged in an indictment with two counts of filing false tax returns for years 2009 and 2010. http://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/lake ... 8837a.html
The indictment alleges that Montalvo, the former director of the East Chicago Public Library, overstated unreimbursed business expenses and medical and dental expenses. Those expenses amounted to $32,000 in medical and dental expenses and $47,000 in employee and business expenses over the two years.
88. Virlissa Crenshaw, 42, of East Chicago, is charged with theft from local government, with another count of filing a false tax return for 2009. http://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/lake/hammond/feds-nab-nwi-officials-on-tax-fraud-other-charges/article_3fe970a9-3e39-53a9-a23f-56b43e98837a.html
Crenshaw was a clerk with the Merrillville Town Court at the time of the offenses. She has already signed a plea agreement filed today admitting her guilt to stealing cash bonds. The loss to the Town of Merrillville was $176,763 and the tax loss to the federal government was $55,203.
89. An unnamed county official reportedly has a sealed 2012 Grand Jury indictment.
Who do you think may be next?
Individuals and/or corporations named in the following links are presumed innocent unless a court of law finds otherwise.
_________________ XMPT wrote in Dermott Minions now stating No Sweet House? Posted: Sat Mar 12, 2011 9:04 am. Hammonite you might want to say a prayer to your God for freetime. She got back what she dished out.
Last edited by justcallmetommy on Wed Feb 27, 2013 4:44 pm, edited 2 times in total.
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