Illinois power broker William Cellini was sentenced yesterday in the Northern District of Illinois, following his conviction last year for his role in the Rod Blagojevich scandal. Cellini was found guilty last November of conspiracy to commit extortion and aiding and abetting the solicitation of a bribe. In his sentencing memorandum, however, Cellini sought to… Continue Reading
Category Archives: Honest Services Fraud
Subscribe to Honest Services Fraud RSS FeedFormer Illinois Governor Ryan’s Appeal Has New Life
Posted in Honest Services Fraud, SentencingOn April 30, 2012, the U.S. Supreme Court vacated the judgment against former Illinois Governor George Ryan, who was convicted of mail fraud, racketeering, tax evasion and lying to the FBI in 2006, and remanded the case to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit. The Seventh Circuit was directed to further consider… Continue Reading
Limits on Fiduciary Duties: Wherefore Art Thou?
Posted in Honest Services FraudThe Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, sitting en banc, recently decided a fraud case holding that a person may commit federal fraud and face imprisonment for breaching a broadly-defined fiduciary duty to a contractual business partner. This holding arises under the “honest services” fraud statute, presuming the breaching party also has a specific intent to… Continue Reading
Supreme Court Rejects Jeffrey Skilling’s Appeal Seeking New Trial
Posted in Honest Services Fraud, Securities Fraud, SentencingJeffrey Skilling, the former CEO of Enron Corp. is officially out of options for challenging his 2006 conviction on charges of conspiracy, securities fraud, insider trading and lying to auditors. The very public former head of the failed accounting firm, who is currently serving a 26-year sentence in federal prison in Colorado, had obtained a… Continue Reading
Blagojevich Sentencing Set to Begin Today
Posted in Honest Services Fraud, SentencingSentencing is scheduled to begin at 10:00 a.m. tomorow on the Rod Blagojevich trial before Judge James B. Zagel in the Northern District of Illinois. Much of the population of the State of Illinois, and even nationally, will be awaiting what Judge Zagel’s determination following what is expected to be a two-day hearing. Tony Rezko… Continue Reading
Former Liquor Commissioner’s Above-Range Sentence Appropriate in Light of Egregious Circuimstances
Posted in Honest Services Fraud, SentencingUnited States of America v. Walter D. Hill, Seventh Circuit, No. 10-3766, July 5, 2011, Appeal from the United States District Court for the Southern District of Illinois, No. 3:09-cr-30116-MJR-1. Walter Hill, the deputy liquor commissioner for East St. Louis used his position and authority to solicit and obtain money and property, and, in at… Continue Reading
The Blagojevich Verdict Results
Posted in Honest Services Fraud, SentencingThe news media has covered this story in more detail than anybody could ask for. However, for a quick run down, here are the jury verdicts on all counts against Rod Blagojevich from Round 2 of his public corruption trial: GUILTY – Counts 1-10: WIRE FRAUD. Each count carries a maximum 20-year prison sentence. NO… Continue Reading
Former Owner of Illinois Technology Companies Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy to Defraud E-Rate Program
Posted in Honest Services Fraud, SentencingGloria Harper, former owner of Global Networking Technologies Inc. (GNT) and Computer Training Associates (CTA) pleaded guilty on June 2, 2011 to participating in conspiracy to defraud the federal E-Rate program by providing bribes and kickbacks to school officials in Arkansas, Illinois and Louisiana. Harper was originally charged in the U.S. District Court in New… Continue Reading
Former East St. Louis Official Pleads Guilty to Fraud and Bribery
Posted in Honest Services FraudArthur M. Johnson, former director of Community Development for East St. Louis was convicted in the Southern District of Illinois for his role in a failed development project. Johnson pled guilty to accepting cash payments and agreeing to accept employment with the developer who had been approved to receive $800,000 in federal funds which were… Continue Reading
Seventh Circuit: Conviction stands despite Skilling; Sentencing to be revisited
Posted in Forfeiture, Honest Services Fraud, SentencingUnited States v. Segal, 7th Circuit, No. 09-3403 & 09-3684, Appeal from the Northern District of Illinois, No. 02 CR 112, Decided May 3, 2011. In a somewhat light-hearted opinion, the Seventh Circuit once again dealt with the fallout from Skilling v. United States, 130 S.Ct. 2896 (2010). In 2004, Michael Segal was charged with… Continue Reading
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