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Feds allege evidence of bribery ring at Cook County Board of Review

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Illinois

The FBI has been investigating a Cook County Board of Review employee who allegedly used his position to lower property assessments in exchange for thousands of dollars in cash bribes, according to a federal court affidavit obtained by the Chicago Sun-Times.

That employee also said the money would be split with others in the office, insisting that, “I’m just the middle guy” and that certain colleagues had factored the cash into vacation plans as the recent Fourth of July holiday approached, according to the 45-page document.

The federal probe dates to at least January 2019 and involves an unnamed individual who was secretly cooperating with the feds and is separately under criminal investigation, according to the affidavit. The Sun-Times is not naming the Board of Review employee at the center of the probe because records show he has not been criminally charged. He could not be reached Monday for comment.

The revelation of alleged corruption could deal another blow to public confidence in Cook County’s property tax system, just as tax bills are supposed to be hitting mailboxes. The bills already might be delayed because of “major errors” the Sun-Times exposed in a $250 million-a-year program that offers a tax break to certain seniors.

posted by Rich Miller
Tuesday, Jul 13, 21 @ 4:11 am

Comments

Say it ain’t so

Comment by George Tuesday, Jul 13, 21 @ 7:57 am
Berrios was just the tip of the iceberg here. The real scammers are the property tax appeals lawyers that people feel they need to hire to get a break on their property taxes, and they’re quite successful at doing so. Which begs the question of why the easy decrease just for asking? How bout setting the right rate in the first place and making any reductions fee and far between. I mean I just fill out a lawyer form, no evidence of any issues provided, and, boom, my assessed value comes down? How can that be?

Comment by PublicServant Tuesday, Jul 13, 21 @ 8:10 am
I am shocked

Comment by DuPage Saint Tuesday, Jul 13, 21 @ 8:22 am
Just tell us what agencies are not corrupt

Comment by Anon E Moose Tuesday, Jul 13, 21 @ 8:26 am
- certain colleagues had factored the cash into vacation plans as the recent Fourth of July holiday approached -

The first rule of bribe club is you do not talk about bribe club.

Comment by Excitable Boy Tuesday, Jul 13, 21 @ 9:10 am
Thanks to the USDA and the Sun Times for highlighting another option we have in Cook County for getting our property taxes reduced.
I was aware of the option to hire a politically connected lawyer who was either an elected member of the General Assembly, an Alderman and/or made political contributions and, of course, the option of giving up my indoor bathroom facilities to get a break on local taxes. I was not aware of this direct deal with public employees that appears to have been been available.
By the way, the photo in the Sun Times of the employee holding up a handful of cash was priceless.
Good reporting by the Sun Times reporters. Glad I have kept my subscription.

Comment by Back to the Future Tuesday, Jul 13, 21 @ 9:28 am
The Sun Times thinks there is public confidence in Cook County’s property tax system?

Bless their heart.

Comment by Bigtwich Tuesday, Jul 13, 21 @ 9:40 am
To Anon E Moose: Heh heh heh; that would be a short list in Crook County I fear. But agencies aren’t corrupt, people are. And we’ve got a lot of crooks in government being ferreted out by the feds, while our AG and State’s Attorney worry about wokeness. Good look for the Dems here too I might add; wonder how many names are involved.

Comment by thisjustinagain Tuesday, Jul 13, 21 @ 9:44 am
This is the worst type of corruption, it lines the pockets of political insiders while hurting the average property owner. Don’t forget that when the EAV of a property is reduced at the BOR that property owner will pay less in taxes individually. However, the overall levy required to be paid to Schools, city’s/villages, park districts, libraries… will be still be paid in full. The crooked reduction is simply made up by innocent poperty owners.

Comment by Donnie Elgin Tuesday, Jul 13, 21 @ 9:46 am
So what else is new? This IS Cook County at it’s finest (snark)

Comment by Big Mike Tuesday, Jul 13, 21 @ 9:47 am
The only non-unionized office in county government

Comment by Laborflack Tuesday, Jul 13, 21 @ 9:49 am
Says employed since 95 so that should help figure out who it is by process of elimination

Comment by Hard D Tuesday, Jul 13, 21 @ 10:04 am
“Says employed since 95″

26 years of pension contributions - now at risk due to greed - so foolish

Comment by Donnie Elgin Tuesday, Jul 13, 21 @ 10:10 am
I wish I could believe this is only a Cook County problem. Note: “Cook County” is capitalized as it is a proper noun.

Comment by Al Tuesday, Jul 13, 21 @ 10:23 am
Another reason to get rid of this form of regressive tax in its entirety, and replace it with a local income tax that is simpler, fair and transparent.

Comment by Andersonville 75 Tuesday, Jul 13, 21 @ 10:52 am
so if it is true that each of the board of review electeds get 30 hires, whose hire/s? what kind of supervision is done by the electeds?

Comment by Amalia Tuesday, Jul 13, 21 @ 11:02 am
This is totally believable. A friend who lived in Chicago city limits his entire life looked at every house on his block, and every city employee, cops, Streets and San (what we call garbagemen in Chicago) teacher, etc., had a lower real estate assessment than the rest of the taxpaying citizens.

Where U.S. Attorney John Lausch is weak is that his office only looks at public corruption in Cook County and the Chicago area. Within the 15-16 counties in the Northern District of Illinois, many township assessors are now appointed, and handling five and ten or more townships within the county. This increases the opportunity for this type of corruption within the assessment process exponentially.

Comment by Payback Tuesday, Jul 13, 21 @ 11:05 am
==alleged corruption could deal another blow to public confidence in Cook County’s property tax system==

Desplaines Valley Mosquito Abatement District, you’re our last hope.

Comment by City Zen Tuesday, Jul 13, 21 @ 11:13 am
I wonder if the FED’s finally figured this one out through Ed Burke’s Burger King indictment. It’s about time.

Comment by 1st Ward Tuesday, Jul 13, 21 @ 11:28 am
It’s the end of “Casablanca” again and again

Comment by Sox 59 Tuesday, Jul 13, 21 @ 11:28 am
The only non-unionized office in county government

That’s not accurate. Every prosecutor in the CCSAO is non-union. (The result of an adverse Illinois Supreme Court decision.)

Comment by Miso Tuesday, Jul 13, 21 @ 11:29 am
=== It’s the end of “Casablanca” again and again===

It’s the middle, actually.

To the post,

Never take the money. Never. Putting a price on the integrity you’re willing to lose along with your freedom, this is a cheap way to lose both.

Stings, or tips to corruption, are important, not as a deterrent, but to what they actually are… capturing and then ending corruption existing.

It’s nauseating

Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Jul 13, 21 @ 11:32 am
Get the assessments right in the first place, and this cottage industry of appeals can be greatly reduced along with this Board and its staff. But no one in the system wants that.

Comment by Ron Burgundy Tuesday, Jul 13, 21 @ 11:35 am
“Every prosecutor in the CCSAO is non-union.”

Same with the attorneys at the AG’s office.

Comment by Anon E Moose Tuesday, Jul 13, 21 @ 11:36 am
To Ron Burgandy at 11:35 am: God forbid the Assessor actually gets it right. I had my value go up while other homes of same property class with garages go down. Assessor refused to lower the assessment; BOR lowered it for them on appeal after all 3 BOR analysts agreed I was over-assessed. Not my first rodeo with appeals either.

Comment by thisjustinagain Tuesday, Jul 13, 21 @ 11:41 am
“Round Up the Usual Suspects” was the book telling of “Casablanca” was basis, almost the title of the film too.

Being “shocked” by corruption or gambling, that was in the middle.

To wrap it in a bow, if it is deemed “usual”, that corruption is a norm, rounding up these folks isn’t a slight of hand to cover crimes, this is actually uncovering corruption and likely leading to arrests… of the culprits… not patsies as the “culprits” go free.

This isn’t a speakeasy, or the glamour of (petty) crime (gambling) in war.

I’m grateful when these investigations uncover criminality and not have stings fit the sake of merely having a sting to seem engaged.

I’m also saddened to these types of things being fruitful.

Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Jul 13, 21 @ 11:45 am
There is a solution. Have the Board of Review be comprised of officials from 10 Cook County taxing districts who hire a professional to review appeals. That way, not elected and the office has a large incentive to only fix errors and not hand out reductions like candy.

Comment by IANAL Tuesday, Jul 13, 21 @ 12:04 pm
Since 1973, 30 City Council members were convicted of corruption in Chicago. Should anyone be surprised at the funny business/scams perpetrated by attorneys who reduce real estate taxes for their clients.

Unfortunately, it’s business as usual. Where’s Eddie Burke?

Comment by Rudy’s teeth Tuesday, Jul 13, 21 @ 12:11 pm
So does this mean that we–Cook residents–don’t have to pay our property tax bill this year?

just sayin’

Comment by Pizza Man Tuesday, Jul 13, 21 @ 12:17 pm
“So does this mean that we–Cook residents–don’t have to pay our property tax bill this year”

Karen Yarbrough doesn’t want to send out property tax bills over the senior exemption issues so they will certainly be delayed. Imagine this new nugget doesn’t help. Kaegi needs to start pushing State leaders and start a PR campaign.

Comment by 1st Ward Tuesday, Jul 13, 21 @ 12:27 pm
This happened at the Board of Review (then Board of Appeals) before, in 1981. Nearly 100 employees, lawyers and appellants implicated in a bribery scheme with many convictions. As before, lax management by elected officials.

https://www.lib.niu.edu/1980/ii801209.html

https://openjurist.org/708/f2d/276/united-states-v-p-mcmanigal

https://law.resource.org/pub/us/case/reporter/F2/741/741.F2d.962.83-1648.html

Comment by James Tuesday, Jul 13, 21 @ 12:37 pm
If only they had been multi-millionaires giving campaign cash to alderbeings who’d then return the kindness by giving them a nice little TIF.

Then it all would have been nice and legal.

– MrJM

Comment by @misterjayem Tuesday, Jul 13, 21 @ 12:58 pm
I’m sure Cabonargi and Rogers will get right on this and start investigating.

The Democratic party in Chicago is going to get run over by the DSA if they keep treating government offices as personal piggybanks.

Comment by Chicagonk Tuesday, Jul 13, 21 @ 2:03 pm
Cook county already has low taxes compared to the collar counties. On the other hand, Cook county areas in Chicago that have recently become violent, and businesses are openly shoplifted, have good reason to lower their assessment.

Comment by DuPage Tuesday, Jul 13, 21 @ 2:43 pm
— Kaegi needs to start pushing State leaders and start a PR campaign.—

Yes because what’s missing here is Fritz being less camera shy. /s And what’s he supposed to ask state leaders to do? Urge people not to count a wad of 100s on video?

Comment by Yeesh Tuesday, Jul 13, 21 @ 2:56 pm
===The Democratic party in Chicago is going to get run over by the DSA===

absolutely no, lol, no way

Comment by Dosseis Tuesday, Jul 13, 21 @ 2:57 pm
@Dosseis - I hope it’s not the case as I differ politically with the DSA, but don’t be surprised if they double the size of their caucus in 2023. My bet is 11 members in 2023.

Comment by Chicagonk Tuesday, Jul 13, 21 @ 3:19 pm
Cook County has always had a casino, it is just called the Board of Review.

Comment by Snarkie from Schaumburg Tuesday, Jul 13, 21 @ 3:38 pm
“And what’s he supposed to ask state leaders to do? Urge people not to count a wad of 100s on video?”

He has been pushing Welch and other State legislatures on property tax valuation disclosure laws. Keep up.

Comment by 1st Ward Tuesday, Jul 13, 21 @ 3:46 pm
“My bet is 11 members in 2023.”

Oh wow. 11 members instead of 6. Need 26 to get anything done. There only shot to governing over the next 10 years is winning the Mayors office. But wait they keep trying to strip power away from the current Mayor. This group makes noise but can’t/won’t get much done. The group is best known for being quoted in the Sun Times/Block Club and that’s about it.

Comment by 1st Ward Tuesday, Jul 13, 21 @ 3:51 pm
==double the size of their caucus==

the ideologues can catch lightning in a bottle and get elected, but can they deliver for their constituents? The left in Chicago is competing with itself, and my observations say the majority of those hardliners are more occupied in broad issues, many of which pull them away from their wards. They might wish they knocked a few more doors in their wards come 2023.

Comment by Dosseis Tuesday, Jul 13, 21 @ 4:07 pm
=== … while our AG and State’s Attorney worry about wokeness.===

Again … every time AG Lisa Madigan’s people started a corruption investigation into Blago, sooner or later the Feds asked them to stand down & get out of the way. And when she investigated the Quincy Veteran’s Home, didn’t she have “borrow” a grand jury? The IL AG is not designed to be a criminal prosecution agency. Pay attention.

Comment by Anyone Remember Tuesday, Jul 13, 21 @ 4:14 pm
All of the Tax Board of Appeals Commissioners should resign immediately.

Comment by Frumpy White Guy Tuesday, Jul 13, 21 @ 5:40 pm
hmmm. wondering if Tammy Wendt found something out and after they–in effect—districted her out she dropped a dime.

Comment by Amalia Tuesday, Jul 13, 21 @ 8:18 pm

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