Feds want Michael Madigan to forfeit millions following bribery, fraud convictions
The Brief
Federal prosecutors are seeking $3,140,688.13 from former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan following his bribery and fraud convictions.
Madigan, convicted on 10 counts last month, used his political influence to steer benefits to his allies and law firm.
His sentencing date is set for June 13.
CHICAGO - Federal prosecutors now want Michael Madigan to forfeit more than $3.1 million following his conviction on bribery, conspiracy, and wire fraud charges.
The request comes after a jury found Madigan guilty on 10 counts in his high-profile corruption trial last month.
What we know
Prosecutors argue the forfeited money represents proceeds from Madigan's illicit dealings, including his influence over the state's largest utility, ComEd.
The former House speaker, arguably the most powerful politician in Illinois at one point, was found guilty of using his position to enrich himself and his allies by securing jobs, contracts, and other financial benefits.
Madigan, 82, has denied wrongdoing, maintaining that he was simply helping constituents and conducting legal work.
Count 1: Racketeering conspiracy (w/McClain) - Operating an enterprise, conspiring to commit criminal acts; NO DECISION
Count 2: Conspiracy - Bribery involving ComEd hiring (the ComEd Four); GUILTY
Count 3: Bribery - Involving ComEd and former U.S. Rep. Luis Gutierrez; NOT GUILTY
Count 4: Bribery - Payments from ComEd to former Chicago alderman Michael Zalewski; GUILTY
Count 5: Travel Act - Interstate communication (Union West developers); GUILTY
Count 6: Bribery - ComEd payments to former Chicago Alderman Frank Olivo and others; GUILTY
Count 7: Travel Act - Interstate communication (2018); NOT GUILTY
Count 8, 9, 10: Wire fraud -Former Alderman Daniel Solis and relatives; GUILTY ON ALL
Count 11: Bribery - Solis, incoming Gov. JB Pritzker administration; NOT GUILTY
Count 12: Travel Act - Interstate communications (old post office); GUILTY
Count 13: Travel Act - Skydell, Prudential Building; GUILTY
Count 14: Travel Act - Solis and ICC or Labor Relations Board, property tax law firm; GUILTY
Count 15: Attempted extortion - Union West; NOT GUILTY
Count 16: Travel Act - Union West, "quid pro quo"; NOT GUILTY
Count 17: Travel Act - Union West, zoning approvals; NOT GUILTY
Count 18: Travel Act - Union West, Madigan tells Solis not to say "quid pro quo"; NOT GUILTY
Counts 19, 20: Wire Fraud (w/McClain) - Chinatown development; NO DECISION
Count 21: Bribery (w/McClain) - Chinatown development; NO DECISION
Count 22: Travel Act (w/McClain) - Chinatown, bill sponsor; NO DECISION
Count 23: Conspiracy (w/McClain) – AT&T Illinois boss Paul la Schiazza, former State Rep. Eddie Acevedo; NO DECISION
Dig deeper
Despite skepticism, some experts said Madigan's conviction could inspire reforms.
Former Chicago Alderman Dick Simpson, who has studied political corruption as a professor at UIC, believes the case may fuel efforts to strengthen state ethics laws.
"State government is even behind Chicago in the ethics laws that it has. And the state legislature has been purposely blocking them for decades," Simpson said.
In response to the conviction, Illinois Governor JB Pritzker said, "Today's partial conviction is an important message to anyone in government — or those thinking about public service — that if you choose corruption you will be found out, and you will be punished."
What's next
The judge in Madigan's case will decide whether the government can seize the $3.1 million as part of the former speaker's punishment. That decision will likely be made on June 9, just days before his scheduled sentencing on June 13.
April 19, 1942: Michael Joseph Madigan is born in Chicago, Illinois.
1969: At age 27, Madigan is elected as the 13th Ward Democratic Committeeman, becoming the youngest ward committeeman in Chicago at the time.
January 13, 1971: Madigan begins his tenure in the Illinois House of Representatives, representing the 27th District.
1977: He is appointed Majority Leader of the Illinois House.
January 14, 1981 – January 12, 1983: Madigan serves as Minority Leader of the Illinois House of Representatives.
1983: Madigan becomes Speaker of the Illinois House of Representatives, a position he holds until 1995.
1986: Madigan plays a key role in urging Adlai Stevenson III to enter the Democratic primary for Illinois governor.
January 1995: Following a Republican majority win, Madigan serves as Minority Leader.
January 1997: He regains the role of Speaker after Democrats reclaim the House majority.
1998: Madigan is elected Chair of the Democratic Party of Illinois.
November 5, 2002: His daughter, Lisa Madigan, is elected as Illinois Attorney General.
May 31, 2017: Madigan becomes the longest-serving state House Speaker in U.S. history.
November 18, 2020: Four people, including Madigan associate Michael McClain, are indicted by a federal grand jury on charges they orchestrated a bribery scheme with Commonwealth Edison.
January 11, 2021: Madigan suspends his campaign for another term as Speaker of the Illinois House of Representatives after failing to secure enough support within his party.
January 13, 2021: Madigan is succeeded by Chris Welch as Speaker of the Illinois House.
February 18, 2021: Madigan resigns from the Illinois House of Representatives, ending his decades-long tenure.
February 22, 2021: He steps down as Chair of the Democratic Party of Illinois.
March 2, 2022: Madigan is indicted on federal racketeering and bribery charges, accused of leading a "criminal enterprise" to enhance his political power and financial well-being.
October 14, 2022: AT&T agrees to pay a $23 million fine to resolve a federal criminal investigation into the company's efforts to unlawfully influence Madigan.
May 2, 2023: The "ComEd Four" are convicted in a bribery scheme linked to Madigan, though he was not a defendant in this trial.
February, 12, 2024: Tim Mapes, Madigan's former chief of staff, sentenced to 2.5 years in prison for perjury after lying to a grand jury about his knowledge of sexual harassment allegations against a colleague.
October 9, 2024: Jury selection begins for Madigan's federal corruption trial in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois.
October 17, 2024: A full jury is seated after a thorough selection process.
October 21, 2024: Opening statements are delivered in the trial. Prosecutors allege that Madigan exploited public trust by using his political influence to benefit utility companies in exchange for kickbacks and favors for his associates.
November 15, 2024: Former Chicago Alderman Danny Solis testifies, revealing he cooperated with federal investigators and secretly recorded conversations with Madigan as part of the investigation.
December 9, 2024: Solis concludes his testimony after 21 hours over six days.
December 18, 2024: The prosecution rests its case after presenting evidence, including secretly recorded conversations and testimony from key witnesses.
January 8, 2025: The defense begins presenting its case, calling its first witnesses.
January 13, 2025: Madigan testifies in his own defense, denying any wrongdoing and emphasizing his commitment to his constituents.
January 16, 2025: The defense rests its case after seven days of testimony.
January 22, 2025: Closing arguments begin, with the prosecution presenting their case.
January 28, 2025: Defense wraps up closing arguments, and the case is handed over to the jury.
January 29, 2025: Jury deliberations begin in Madigan's federal corruption trial.
February 12, 2025: Jury convicts Madigan on 10 counts, finds him not guilty on seven and deadlocks on six.
June 9, 2025: Judge to make decision on Madigan's money forfeiture.
June 13, 2025: Madigan is set to be sentenced.
The Source
The information in this article was obtained from federal court documents and previous FOX 32 reporting.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
an hour ago
Democrats criticize latest effort by Congress to regulate college sports as setback for athletes
WASHINGTON -- The latest effort by Congress to regulate college sports generated predictable partisan outrage on Thursday, with Democrats saying Republican-led draft legislation would claw back freedoms won by athletes through years of litigation against the NCAA. Three House committees are considering legislation that would create a national standard for name, image and likeness payments to athletes and protect the NCAA against future lawsuits. Last week, a federal judge approved a $2.8 billion settlement that will lead to schools paying athletes directly, and NCAA President Charlie Baker said now that his organization is implementing those major changes, Congress needs to step in and stabilize college sports. Baker said he supports the draft legislation that was the subject of Thursday's hearing by a House Energy and Commerce subcommittee, but there was little indication that any bill advanced by the House would generate enough Democratic support to surpass the 60-vote threshold in the Senate. 'I'm deeply disappointed for the second year in a row, Republicans on this committee are advancing a partisan college sports bill that protects the power brokers of college athletics at the expense of the athletes themselves,' said Rep. Lori Trahan, D-Mass. Trahan noted that if the NCAA or conferences establish unfair rules, athletes can challenge them in court, with the settlement of the House v. NCAA antitrust case the latest example of athletes winning rights that they had been denied historically. 'This bill rewrites that process to guarantee the people in power always win, and the athletes who fuel this multibillion-dollar industry always lose,' said Trahan, who played volleyball at Georgetown. The NCAA argues that it needs a limited antitrust exemption in order to set its own rules and preserve a college sports system that provides billions of dollars in scholarships and helps train future U.S. Olympians. Several athletes are suing the NCAA over its rule that athletes are only eligible to play four seasons in a five-year period, and on Tuesday, a group of female athletes filed an appeal of the House settlement, saying it discriminated against women in violation of federal law. On the Senate side, a bipartisan group including Republican Ted Cruz of Texas has been negotiating a college sports reform bill for months, but those talks are moving more slowly than Cruz had hoped at the beginning of this Congress. The draft bill in the House would create a national standard for NIL, overriding the state laws that critics say have led to a chaotic recruiting environment. That, too, was criticized by Democrats and by their key witness at the hearing, Ramogi Huma, executive director of the National College Players Association. Huma argued that the NCAA wants to get rid of booster-funded NIL collectives that another witness, Southeastern Conference associate commissioner William King, characterized as 'fake NIL' or 'pay for play.' Instead, Huma said the collectives are examples of the free market at work, noting that before players won NIL rights through a court case, boosters could only donate to athletic departments. Tom McMillen, a former Democratic congressman who played in the NBA after an All-America basketball career at Maryland, took a dim view of the bill's prospects. 'I think they're trying to come up with something and pull in some Democrats. I just don't know if that's going to succeed or not,' said McMillen, who for several years led an association of Division I athletic directors. 'There's a real philosophical divide, so that's the hard part. It's hard to bridge. And there's a zillion other issues.' The subcommittee chairman, Rep. Gus Bilirakis, R-Fla., said the draft legislation already had some bipartisan support and he was open to changes that would get more Democrats on board. 'I will consider some of the suggestions, the legitimate suggestions that were made,' Bilirakis said, 'and I will be happy to talk to lawmakers that truly want to get a big bill across the finish line.'
USA Today
an hour ago
- USA Today
King Trump? 'I don't feel like a king' says the president
King Trump? 'I don't feel like a king' says the president Show Caption Hide Caption Armored tanks arrive in DC for Trump's military birthday parade As Washington, D.C. prepares for the 250th anniversary of the U.S. Army, armored tanks have begun to arrive ahead of Saturday's celebration. President Donald Trump said he doesn't feel like royalty when asked for his response on the 'No Kings' rallies planned across the country in protest of his expansive use of executive power. The roughly 2,000 rallies are expected to coincide with a military parade Trump is holding in Washington D.C on June 14 on the U.S. Army's 250th anniversary and Trump's 79th birthday. The protest organizers say Trump is 'hijacking' the Army's anniversary to 'feed his ego' and celebrate himself. 'I don't feel like a king. I have to go through hell to get stuff approved,' Trump said in response to a reporter's question in the White House right after he signed three resolutions overturning California's mandate to ban the sale of new gas-powered vehicles and speed up the adoption of electric vehicles by 2035. 'The king would have never had the California mandate. He wouldn't have to call up Mike Johnson and say, 'fellas, you have got to pull this off,'' he said, referring to House Speaker Mike Johnson. 'And after years, we get it done. No, no, we're not a king.' Indivisible, a progressive group, alongside a coalition of partner organizations, said it's holding the events to 'reject authoritarianism and show the world what democracy actually looks like: people, united, refusing to be ruled.' The parade along the National Mall is set to feature thousands of police officers and security measures including metal detectors, anti-scale fencing, concrete barriers and drones overhead surveilling the crowd. It also comes as Trump and California Gov. Gavin Newsom are locked in a standoff over the use of the National Guard and the U.S. military to help quell protests that have sprung up in Los Angeles against the Immigration and Customs Enforcement sweeps carried out at the president's direction. There will be no planned "No Kings" protests for Washington D.C. Organizers said they intentionally avoided having a protest in the capital to avoid being cast as 'anti-veteran.' The largest protest is instead scheduled for noon ET in Philadelphia, where the Second Continental Congress adopted the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776.
Chicago Tribune
an hour ago
- Chicago Tribune
Afternoon Briefing: Pritzker at House hearing slams Trump's National Guard moves in LA
Good afternoon, Chicago. Democratic Gov. JB Pritzker defended Illinois' sanctuary laws for immigrants in the U.S. without legal permission before a House committee today and pointed at congressional Republicans and Democrats for using the issue to try to score political points rather than enacting comprehensive immigration reform. 'The vast majority of immigrants contribute to our communities, pay taxes and abide by the law. We should value their entrepreneurship, ingenuity and hard work. Both political parties are to blame for America's broken immigration system. I hope that this committee chooses (to) be part of the solution by pursuing bipartisan comprehensive federal immigration reform,' the state's two-term governor said in remarks submitted to the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee. Before Pritzker's opening statement, U.S. Rep. James Comer, the committee's chair, accused Pritzker, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, the two other Democratic governors testifying, of allowing 'criminal illegal aliens to roam free in American communities' as he sat in front of posters of undocumented immigrants charged with violent crimes. The hearing that began at 9 a.m. Chicago time, continued into the afternoon. Watch it in full here. Here's what else is happening today. And remember, for the latest breaking news in Chicago, visit and sign up to get our alerts on all your devices. Subscribe to more newsletters | Asking Eric | Horoscopes | Puzzles & Games | Today in History A JetBlue flight landing at Boston's Logan International Airport rolled off the runway and into the grass today, an airport spokesperson said. Read more here. More top news stories: The number of international guests staying at Chicago hotels is down amid tensions between the Trump administration and other nations, and economic uncertainty is discouraging business travel. Read more here. More top business stories: Experience can make the best teachers. And the Chicago Blackhawks definitely will have lessons to learn from new coach Jeff Blashill's staff. Read more here. More top sports stories: Here are our picks for events in and around Chicago this weekend. Read more here. More top Eat. Watch. Do. stories: Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said today he has ordered the deployment of more than 5,000 Texas National Guard troops, along with more than 2,000 state police, to help local law enforcement manage protests against President Donald Trump and the ongoing federal immigration raids. Read more here. More top stories from around the world:
