Tagged: corruption

A relatively short prison sentence seems to be bringing some relief to Stuart Levine, one of the central figures in the Blagojevich scandal.
After being sentenced yesterday, Stuart Levine smiled and shook hands and joked with many of the prosecutors and FBI agents who investigated him and brought him down.
And what a downfall it's been.
Levine went from being a multi-millionaire to working at a kiosk in a mall.

Ali Ata donated $50,000 to Rod Blagojevich. In return he was appointed the executive director of the Illinois Finance Authority, a job that paid $125,000 a year.

Ata pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI about his relationship with the corrupt Blagojevich fundraiser and advisor Tony Rezko. But prosecutors say Ata began cooperating during Rezko's trial and ended up being a key witness.

On the stand Ata detailed a meeting where he gave Rezko a $25,000 contribution.

Federal prosecutors in Chicago contend that longtime Springfield powerbroker William Cellini deserves to go to prison for up to eight years.

A federal jury convicted Cellini in November of conspiring to shake down the Oscar-winning producer of "Million Dollar Baby" for a contribution to imprisoned former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich's campaign. Cellini is scheduled to be sentenced July 23.