Feds seek $3.1 million forfeiture from former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan after corruption conviction
Federal prosecutors are asking a judge to order former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan to forfeit $3.1 million, after he was convicted on a sweeping bribery conspiracy last month.
U.S. District Judge John Blakey is scheduled to hold a hearing on the feds' request in June, four days before Madigan is sentenced on June 13.
In February, a jury convicted Madigan of 10 corruption counts – including bribery conspiracy, bribery, and wire fraud – but acquitted him on seven other charges, while jurors were deadlocked on six other counts, following a four-month trial accusing him of running a yearslong criminal enterprise to enrich himself and his political allies.
Madigan, 82, and his longtime political confidant Michael McClain were accused of conspiring with utility companies ComEd and AT&T to provide no-show jobs to Madigan's allies in exchange for the speaker's help on legislation. Prosecutors also accused Madigan of pressuring real estate developers to hire his private law firm, which specializes in property tax appeals.
Jurors were unable to reach a unanimous verdict against McClain; although he was previously convicted on related charges, alongside three other people, in the so-called "ComEd Four Trial" in 2023.
On Friday, federal prosecutors filed a request to have Madigan ordered to forfeit $1.3 million paid by ComEd to five of his political allies, and $1.8 million paid to a law firm where one of his allies remains a partner – even though the money was not paid to him.
The $1.3 million in payments went to former Chicago aldermen Frank Olivo and Michael Zalewski, former Cook County Recorder of Deeds Edward Moody, former Illinois state Rep. Edward Acevedo, and longtime Madigan campaign worker Raymond Nice.
The other $1.8 million payment was made to the law firm of Reyes Kurson, where Madigan ally Victor Reyes is a partner.
"The payments to Madigan's allies benefited Madigan, as they ensured the continued loyalty of a critical donor and other allies and ensured Madigan's political workers (like Nice and Moody) would continue to go door-to-door. These payments saved Madigan from having to spend money from his own political committees," prosecutors wrote.
Prosecutors said, if Madigan does not have the funds to satisfy the $3.1 million forfeiture they are seeking, the judge should authorize them "to conduct discovery to to identify or locate property subject to forfeiture, including substitute assets, and to seize property ordered forfeited upon such terms and conditions as set forth by the Court."
In addition to the potential forfeiture order, Madigan could face up to 20 years in prison for the most serious convictions on wire fraud charges, but likely will get far less due to his age.
