By Steve Rhodes
“A onetime business partner of former Mayor Richard M. Daley’s son was sentenced Wednesday to 17 months in federal prison for his role in a scheme that used a minority-owned company as a front to fraudulently secure millions of dollars in Chicago city contracts,” the Tribune reports.
“Anthony Duffy, who pleaded guilty last year to making a false statement to FBI agents, was president of a firm that performed sewer work for the city under contracts that were awarded to a minority-owned business. Duffy is white.
“Duffy lied to federal investigators about why he didn’t reveal on economic disclosure statements that two of the former mayor’s relatives, son Patrick Daley and nephew Robert Vanecko, were investors in the sewer company. Neither Daley nor Vanecko was charged with any wrongdoing.”
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“A 36-year-old Belgian businessman has pleaded not guilty to trying to ship products that could be used in nuclear-related programs from a Chicago-area company to Malaysia, via Belgium,” AP reports.
“Nicholas Kaiga entered the plea Thursday, standing in a Chicago federal court in orange jail garb and with his legs shackled.
“He’s accused of seeking to export aluminum tubes that prosecutors say are ‘controlled for nuclear proliferation purposes’ and can be used ‘in the aerospace industry, among other applications.’
“Prosecutors added that a Malaysian company involved is a ‘front company.'”
Neither Daley nor Vanecko was charged with any wrongdoing.
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“A suburban man who worked for the Forest Preserve District of Cook County is facing federal bribery charges for allegedly taking kickbacks from contracts to perform work at two facilities, including the Sand Ridge Nature Center in Calumet City,” the Times of Northwest Indiana reports.
“Joseph Mollica, 52, of Elmwood Park, was indicted Wednesday on two counts of federal bribery, the U.S. Attorney’s office announced Thursday. He was an assistant engineer for the Forest Preserve District for more than 20 years until last week, according to a news release. He and others had authority to influence and award contracts for work under $25,000.
“Mollica faces a maximum of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine if found guilty of each count.
“On Dec. 16, 2011, Mollica is accused of accepting a $4,000 kickback from a $16,500 contract to power wash and stain the building and boardwalk and do caulking at the Sand Ridge Nature Center, the release states. He is also accused of taking a $6,000 kickback on Oct. 14, 2001, from a $24,900 contract to refinish and refurbish the Forest Preserve District’s headquarters, where he worked, at 536 N. Harlem Ave. in River Forest.”
Neither Daley nor Vanecko was charged with any wrongdoing.
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The Beachwood Tip Line: Neither a trick nor a treat.
Posted on October 31, 2013