Eleven current and former officials and employees in Ford Heights, Illinois, have been charged with allegedly using public money to fund personal holidays and casino trips, including travel to Las Vegas and Michigan City.
Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul announced 79 felony counts on Friday, including theft of governmental property and official misconduct. The allegations centre on a scheme in which municipal funds were purportedly used to pay for air fares, hotel accommodation and other expenses.
Investigators from Mr Raoul’s Criminal Division and officers from the Cook County Sheriff’s Office carried out a search warrant at Ford Heights Municipal Hall on Thursday.
Ford Heights casino trips investigation
“Elected officials and civil servants are rightfully held to a higher standard, making it especially egregious when someone in power intentionally steals from the taxpayers they are supposed to be serving,” Mr Raoul said.
Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart said the alleged conduct was “an affront to the people of Ford Heights”, adding that residents deserved elected representatives who acted with “honesty and integrity”.
The defendants include former mayor Annie R. Coulter, 74, village clerk Nyree D. Ford, 53, and current village trustees Johnny A. Griffin, 67, and James E. Morgan, 48.
Also charged are Antone Adams, 59, of Chicago Heights; Allis Franklin, 78; Mary Matthews Graziano, 65; and Dedra D. Lee, 65, all of Ford Heights.
The remaining defendants are former trustees Scottie L. Hatten, 38, of Hazel Crest; LaDell L. Jones, 61, of Ford Heights; and Antoina T. McMichales, 56, of Ford Heights.
All 11 defendants are scheduled to be arraigned on Wednesday 30 September. The cases are being prosecuted by the Illinois Attorney General’s Public Integrity Bureau.
The allegations have not been tested in court, and all the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
