The City Council’s point man for allegations of police corruption, Ald. Isaac Carothers (29), found himself on the other side of the table Thursday when U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald announced that a grand jury returned several indictments agains
The City Council’s point man for allegations of police corruption, Ald. Isaac Carothers (29), found himself on the other side of the table Thursday when U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald announced that a grand jury returned several indictments against the West Side alderman. Carothers is charged with four counts of wire and mail fraud, and one count each of accepting a bribe and filing a false federal income tax return. He remains free on his own recognizance. Carothers, 54, chairman of the Police & Fire Committee, was unavailable for comment. His co-defendant Calvin Boender, a real estate developer, was charged with four counts of wire and mail fraud, two counts of obstruction of justice, two misdemeanor counts of violating federal campaign finance laws and one count of bribery. According to Fitzgerald, Boender allegedly paid for $40,000 worth of home improvement work on Carothers home but failed to disclose it as required by law. The indictment accuses Boender of allegedly paying for the improvements to influence Carothers to support his zoning change request for land in his ward, which he did, according to the indictment. “Using public office to obtain personal financial benefits violates the public trust, and we will continue to investigate and prosecute both corrupt public officials and businessmen who seek to profit by corrupting themselves,” Fitzgerald said at the news conference. Fitzgerald added that Carothers filed a false Statement of Economic Interest with Cook County, a false Statement of Financial Interest with the city of Chicago, and failed to disclose that he received gifts in excess of $500 and income in excess of $1,200 from Boender. And Boender allegedly bribed Carothers by instructing one of his employees to make a $1,500 campaign contribution to Carothers’ 29th Ward Democratic Organization and later reimbursed the employee. He also provided Carothers with meals and tickets to professional sporting events, such as the 2005 World Series in Chicago. The 20-year incumbent alderman faces up to 20 years in prison on each of the four counts of mail or wire fraud and a maximum fine of $250,000 for each count. ______ AP Photo/Seth Perlman
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Download file below to read a media statement from Alderman Carothers.
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