Posted on: September 24, 2024, 08:33h.
Last updated on: September 24, 2024, 09:03h.
The incumbent mayor of Ford Heights, Ill., a Chicago suburb, has been convicted of embezzling public money. Mayor Charles Griffin was found guilty by a Cook County judge Monday of theft of government property of less than $100K, but over $10K, plus two counts of official misconduct.
Judge James Obbish said prosecutors had provided a “mountain of evidence” that Griffin had siphoned money from gambling revenues meant for the suburb, which is one of Chicago’s poorest. In Illinois, 15% of all video gambling receipts are redistributed by the state to local governments.
Between 2015 and 2017, Griffin plundered the suburb’s coffers for “his own personal and economic benefit,” according to prosecutors.
Griffin’s initial stint as mayor ran from 2009 to 2017, when he was defeated by opponent Annie Coulter. During her tenure, Coulter identified and reported irregularities in the suburb’s finances, which prompted a criminal investigation.
‘The People Spoke’
Griffin was arrested and charged on Aug. 23, 2018. Incredibly, however, he ran for election again in 2021 and won. He characterized the charges hanging over him as a political ploy by his opponents.
“The people spoke,” Griffin said after his win. “The town is heading in the wrong direction. We’re going to straighten it out. We’re going to get it back together.”
Griffin was found to have funneled the stolen money into two secret bank accounts in the village’s name that he controlled. He spent thousands of dollars on a debit card, splurging at Walmart, Home Depot, Menards, L.A. Fitness, and various restaurants, according to court documents.
He attempted to hide these transactions from other Ford Heights officials by having the statements sent to his home.
Testifying in his defense, a former romantic partner of Griffin’s claimed the bank statements were sent to his home to safeguard them from theft, an assertion the judge described as “laughable.”
Amount Stolen Slashed
Obst didn’t hold Griffin accountable for stealing the full $147K prosecutors claimed, determining that the true amount was less than $100K.
“We were disappointed, but we respect the court’s verdict, and we will go forward step by step,” Griffin’s lawyer Phillip Turner told The Chicago Sun-Times.
The prosecution was pushing for it to be over 100,000, and the judge specifically found that it was less than 100,000,” Turner added. “Which, as you can imagine, makes a significant difference.”
Under Illinois law, an individual may not hold public office if they have been convicted of a felony. Griffin is due back in court for post-trial motions and possible sentencing on October 24.
