Posted on 12/19/2008 12:25:19 AM PST by hoosiermama
Edited on 02/09/2012 7:04:21 AM PST by Admin Moderator. [history]
Crime in Chicago has been in the news lately, but it is nothing new. Historically it dates back over a hundred years. From the tale of the Gray Wolves
http://www.encyclopedia.chicagohistory.org/pages/540.html
The 1890s Chicago City Council was notorious for corrupt political practices orchestrated by a faction of its aldermen known as the Gray Wolves. So named because they were viewed as preying upon the defenseless public, the Gray Wolves were led by First Ward aldermen “Bathhouse” John Coughlin and “Hinky Dink” Mike Kenna, and Johnny Powers of the Nineteenth Ward. These elected officials were not only skilled at trading votes for favors, but once in office they excelled in making municipal decisions to profit themselves financially.
TO the present, it is a compelling historical subject.
“Please post links and information, or connections of dots to this thread. Keep chit chat to the minimum or in Freemail. THANKS!”
Tony Rezko’s former development partner is broke.
###
Dan Mahru — a lawyer who became an ice peddler and real estate developer — has filed for bankruptcy, declaring that he and his business partners, including Rezko, owe as much as $95 million to creditors.
Mahru estimates his personal debts could be as high as $50 million.
FROM:
http://www.suntimes.com/news/watchdogs/1432765,CST-NWS-watchcorner16.article
VIA:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/2186849/posts?page=6#6
Mahru and Rezko split a few years ago. But they’re still fighting dozens of lawsuits filed over housing developments they built.
“I couldn’t handle all the multitude of lawsuits involving Mr. Rezko,’’ Mahru says.
Mahru lists $48,970.61 in assets in the bankruptcy case he filed shortly before Christmas.
His creditors are a “who’s who” of Rezko’s world, including:
• • A company owned by Nadhmi Auchi, the Iraq-born billionaire who took control of 62 acres in the South Loop that Rezko and Mahru hoped to develop.
• • Joseph Cacciatore, a lawyer and developer who says he’s owed $5 million from the South Loop project.
• • John Thomas, a developer and FBI mole who helped authorities document the repeated visits former Gov. Rod Blagojevich and President Obama made to the offices where Rezko and Mahru ran their Rezmar Corp.
• • Fortunee Massuda, a podiatrist who invested millions in Rezmar projects.
Mahru has stopped paying the $1.5 million mortgage on his Glencoe home, which is now in foreclosure. He owes $5.4 million on mortgages for his company, Automatic Ice, which provides icemakers to restaurants and hotels. And he owes more than $480,000 in legal fees to eight law firms — including $5,075.28 to the law firm of Ald. Edward M. Burke (14th).
*snip*
Next up, Marc Rich shows up in my first article on the Red Mafia... you do know he was involved with the Red Mafia before President Clinton pardoned him, right?
This is the article where I make the surprising ‘one person away’ connection between Hillary Clinton and Randy “Duke” Cunningham, and it is tenuous, of course, but just how many folks donating to politicians will have BOTH in their list of who they contribute to?
I point to an article in Pravda, but leave out this little excerpt from it:
~~
When this money returned to Moscow it had to be used and directed for the national good. The KGB and its allies, under Silayev and Kryuchkov, set up a system in which loyal and trusted members of the Komsomol system and friendly businessmen could form their own banks – Russian banks.
Men like Khodorkovsky, Aven, Fridman and others were chosen and set up in the money business. They used the banks to channel the returning Mafia money into long-term businesses.
With few exceptions, those chosen for this were all Jews. When Western pioneers like Marc Rich, David Reuben, Gerry Lennard or Jerry Cligman agreed to work within this system by creating the ‘tolling business,” they were given a kick start of rubles to help pay for the initial costs of the tolling system, They, too, were mainly Jews, albeit foreign Jews.
~~
Marc Rich working with the Red Mafia ... nice, no? Some of the connections in the network of individuals would be gone into via my article looking at connections between then Sen. Obama and other folks in his inner circle of friends.
Here, as I am citing an article that is not for direct quotation and I am honoring that, which was looking into political corruption and banking, will be my own words summarizing that article starting with following up Nadhmi Auchi’s investment in the TotalFinaElf scandal:
*snip*
Now we switch to someone I haven’t taken much of a look at so far, and hope that others carry this ball as there is a lot of ball to carry, here. This is, of course, Governor Rod Blagojevich’s scandal of trying to sell Obama’s Senate Seat, which looks like influence peddling, corruption and Pay-For-Plutocrats.
For this I will go to my article on Sen. Obama, It isn’t what you know but who you know, and John Batchelor on 03 MAR 2008 looking at the deal between Rezko, Auchi and Aiman Alsammarae , who would wind up being convicted in Iraq of various forms of embezzlement on a power plant deal that Auchi was funding, and then Alsammarae was busted out of Iraqi prison and fled back to Chicago.
This would cover the time in Sen. Obama’s career when he ‘flipped’ from being anti-Iraq War to for it, before flipping back again when Alsammarae fled the scene:
In addition, in April 2005, one month before Mr. Alsammarae left his post, his Ministry of Electricity signed a contract for $50 million with Companion Security to provide training to Iraqis to guard electrical plants by flying them to Illinois for classes.
Companion Security was headed by a former Chicago policeman with a troubled history, Daniel T. Frawley, in partnership with Mr. Rezko and in association with Daniel Mahru, the lawyer for the original contract and Mr. Rezko’s former business partner.
In April 2006, Mr. Frawley entered negotiations with Governor Rod Blagojevich’s staff to lease a military facility in Illinois to be a training camp.
In August 2006, Mr. Frawley started negotiations with Mr. Obama’s U.S. Senate staff to complete the contract.
The discussions with Mr. Obama’s staff continued over many months, including e-mails and conferences with an Obama staffer, Seamus Ahern.
Questions raised by this contact go to the issue of whether or not Mr. Obama ever favored Mr. Rezko’s commercial ties. Mr. Obama has said often that he performed no favors for Mr. Rezko.
The timeline of Companion discussions in 2006 is important to note:
April 2006 Frawley speaks to governor’s office;
August 2006 Frawley speaks to senator’s office;
October 2006 indictment of Rezko revealed;
October 2006 Rezko arrested upon return from Syria;
October 2006 Alsammarae convicted in Baghdad and makes his first escape attempt;
December 2006 Alsammarae escapes form Baghdad.
Did Mr. Obama’s staff and Governor Blagojevich’s staff not know how these events related to their discussions with Mr. Frawley?
Importantly both Governor Blagojevich’s office and Mr. Obama’s office later explained they did not know of the link between Mr. Frawley and Mr. Rezko.
Senate staffs are expected to perform due diligence on inquiries, such as is this matter about campaign contributions or unsavory activity.
What was the nature of Mr Obama’s staff’s inquiry into the Ilinois resident Mr. Frawley’s ability to secure a contract with the CPA’s Ministry of Electricity in Bagdad from April, 2005?
~~~~
POST 1
Rest HERE
*snip*
Next up, Marc Rich shows up in my first article on the Red Mafia... you do know he was involved with the Red Mafia before President Clinton pardoned him, right?
This is the article where I make the surprising ‘one person away’ connection between Hillary Clinton and Randy “Duke” Cunningham, and it is tenuous, of course, but just how many folks donating to politicians will have BOTH in their list of who they contribute to?
I point to an article in Pravda, but leave out this little excerpt from it:
~~
When this money returned to Moscow it had to be used and directed for the national good. The KGB and its allies, under Silayev and Kryuchkov, set up a system in which loyal and trusted members of the Komsomol system and friendly businessmen could form their own banks – Russian banks.
Men like Khodorkovsky, Aven, Fridman and others were chosen and set up in the money business. They used the banks to channel the returning Mafia money into long-term businesses.
With few exceptions, those chosen for this were all Jews. When Western pioneers like Marc Rich, David Reuben, Gerry Lennard or Jerry Cligman agreed to work within this system by creating the ‘tolling business,” they were given a kick start of rubles to help pay for the initial costs of the tolling system, They, too, were mainly Jews, albeit foreign Jews.
~~
Marc Rich working with the Red Mafia ... nice, no? Some of the connections in the network of individuals would be gone into via my article looking at connections between then Sen. Obama and other folks in his inner circle of friends.
Here, as I am citing an article that is not for direct quotation and I am honoring that, which was looking into political corruption and banking, will be my own words summarizing that article starting with following up Nadhmi Auchi’s investment in the TotalFinaElf scandal:
*snip*
Now we switch to someone I haven’t taken much of a look at so far, and hope that others carry this ball as there is a lot of ball to carry, here. This is, of course, Governor Rod Blagojevich’s scandal of trying to sell Obama’s Senate Seat, which looks like influence peddling, corruption and Pay-For-Plutocrats.
For this I will go to my article on Sen. Obama, It isn’t what you know but who you know, and John Batchelor on 03 MAR 2008 looking at the deal between Rezko, Auchi and Aiman Alsammarae , who would wind up being convicted in Iraq of various forms of embezzlement on a power plant deal that Auchi was funding, and then Alsammarae was busted out of Iraqi prison and fled back to Chicago.
This would cover the time in Sen. Obama’s career when he ‘flipped’ from being anti-Iraq War to for it, before flipping back again when Alsammarae fled the scene:
In addition, in April 2005, one month before Mr. Alsammarae left his post, his Ministry of Electricity signed a contract for $50 million with Companion Security to provide training to Iraqis to guard electrical plants by flying them to Illinois for classes.
Companion Security was headed by a former Chicago policeman with a troubled history, Daniel T. Frawley, in partnership with Mr. Rezko and in association with Daniel Mahru, the lawyer for the original contract and Mr. Rezko’s former business partner.
In April 2006, Mr. Frawley entered negotiations with Governor Rod Blagojevich’s staff to lease a military facility in Illinois to be a training camp.
In August 2006, Mr. Frawley started negotiations with Mr. Obama’s U.S. Senate staff to complete the contract.
The discussions with Mr. Obama’s staff continued over many months, including e-mails and conferences with an Obama staffer, Seamus Ahern.
Questions raised by this contact go to the issue of whether or not Mr. Obama ever favored Mr. Rezko’s commercial ties. Mr. Obama has said often that he performed no favors for Mr. Rezko.
The timeline of Companion discussions in 2006 is important to note:
April 2006 Frawley speaks to governor’s office;
August 2006 Frawley speaks to senator’s office;
October 2006 indictment of Rezko revealed;
October 2006 Rezko arrested upon return from Syria;
October 2006 Alsammarae convicted in Baghdad and makes his first escape attempt;
December 2006 Alsammarae escapes form Baghdad.
Did Mr. Obama’s staff and Governor Blagojevich’s staff not know how these events related to their discussions with Mr. Frawley?
Importantly both Governor Blagojevich’s office and Mr. Obama’s office later explained they did not know of the link between Mr. Frawley and Mr. Rezko.
Senate staffs are expected to perform due diligence on inquiries, such as is this matter about campaign contributions or unsavory activity.
What was the nature of Mr Obama’s staff’s inquiry into the Ilinois resident Mr. Frawley’s ability to secure a contract with the CPA’s Ministry of Electricity in Bagdad from April, 2005?
~~~~
Rest HERE
(Keeping it all together)More from thread ....Stolen it’s the Chicago way!:
Mahru and Rezko also received big loans through Rezmer Corp. from Broadway Bank, which is owned by the family of Illinois State Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias (D).
Read more about it here:
http://www.friendsofblago.com/int-alexi.htm
“Despite this gross betrayal of the public trust - or as it’s called in here Chicago, being an elected official - we can thank former Ald. Troutman for this rhetorical gem:
“Most aldermen, most politicians are hos,” she said on one recording.
“They also might want to consider christening a “Chicago Aldermanic Wing” of the closest federal prison:”
FROM:
http://www.chicagobreakingnews.com/2009/02/ex-ald-troutman-to-be-sentenced-today.html
VIA:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2187389/posts
“Folk in my community understand there can be false allegations when there is someone who is the voice of the people,” Troutman told the Tribune at the time. But in August a subdued Troutman admitted that prosecutors had been right after all and that for several years she had solicited cash from developers to back projects in her ward.
She likely faces about 4 to 5 years in prison when she appears before U.S. District Judge Ruben Castillo today.
Troutman is the 12th Chicago alderman convicted of wrongdoing in the last 20 years, but the first since Percy Giles (37th) in 1999.
Prosecutors detailed the evidence against Troutman, including conversations that an undercover informant recorded as part of the FBI sting that snared her. In one exchange, the alderman promised to smooth the way for a development but then asked, “What do I get out of it?”
In another infamous quote that was caught on tape and later drew scorn from council colleagues, Troutman compared politics in Chicago to prostitution.
.........snip....
Troutman long enjoyed the support of some of Mayor Richard Daley’s most prominent black allies, including Bishop Arthur Brazier and Rev. Leon Finney Jr. But after the corruption charges came as she campaigned for a fifth term, Brazier and Finney threw their backing to challenger Willie Cochran in the February 2007 election.
Cochran won a landslide victory, but Troutman, comparing herself to Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., declined to concede in election-night comments to her supporters.
The 20th Ward includes some of the city’s poorest and most crime-ridden neighborhoods, but it’s also at the edge of a spreading wave of new homes.
Will connect the thread here just in case we eventually find a CHicago COnnection. It’s got banking; real estate; drugs; Chicago must be there somewhere. Wonder if he’s the fellow that set the Clintons up with their offshore accounts.
Thread has banking information, connection with DNC etc.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/2188643/posts?page=12
Been spending some time reading through this thread. Thanks for posting it and all the comments and links you’ve provided.
Makes one (likely more than just me) wonder, Why do normal upstanding citizens put up with all this crap? Are they truely the minority?
Gov. Pat Quinn on Wednesday installed as his chief operating officer an appointee of ousted predecessor Rod Blagojevich who also has close ties to convicted fundraiser Antoin “Tony” Rezko.
The decision to name longtime friend Jack Lavin as one of his top aides raised eyebrows with some who said it might send a message of politics as usual in Illinois.
MORE AT LINK:
Quinn names insider with Rezko, Blagojevich ties to high-level post
FROM:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2188803/posts
TRYING TO KEEP IT ALL TOGETHER IN ONE PLACE:
(You might find more information on the thread)
Chicago charities went a long way in funding foreign terrorists
http://www.9-11commission.gov/staff_statements/911_TerrFin_Ch6.pdf
13 posted on Thursday, February 19, 2009 12:00:24 PM by Calpernia
TRYING TO KEEP IT ALL IN ONE PLACE. Thanks for your contribution
http://chicagohomeless.org/foundations
Woods Fund ‘contributes’ to the group. They say they do not seek government funding....but they just launder governemnt funding through various ‘foundations’.
Sure thing. So glad you are gathering the stuff. Do you have a ping list going on the Chicago Crime stuff? If so, please add me.
Oh, highlighting from that Chapter 6, the Golden Chain Al Qaeda funding documents are also mentioned in that Chapter that were captured in Bosnia.
That links Chicago, with Al Qaeda, and Barakat World.
Referencing Barakat World from this post:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/2178612/posts
The Oddities of Plumbers and Land Deals
http://defendourfreedoms.us/2009/02/05/welcome-to-barakat-world.aspx
Welcome to BARAKAT World (Golden Chain Doc mentioned here)
The Obama-Giannoulias connection, Chicago mob financier
Hillary Clinton Forum ^ More at first 50 posts of this thread.
FROM:
http://www.hillaryclintonforum.net/discussion/showthread.php?t=35429
VIA:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2103422/posts
Lost source.....
Quote:
The Sun Times today gave a major clue that Barack Obama will indeed go down with Tony Rezko, sooner rather than later. It looks as though Rezko is about to turn on Alexi Giannoulias, the 30-year old State Treasurer of Illinois (who was elected only because Obama backed him).
Here’s where all the clues are…and then we’ll walk you through the local Chicago politics on how today’s hint by the Sun Times has us convinced, for the first time ever, that prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald could indeed send Barack Obama to jail. We need to repeat that: we never believed, until now, that Obama would go to jail for anything related to Rezko. Today, this breaking news about what Rezko is singing to the Feds about makes us reconsider all of that. Barack Obama will serve a prison sentence in the next few years — because knowing Fitzgerald, there is no reason he would be going through all of this if that was not the targeted goal in the long term.
(1) Michael Sneed in her Sun Times column 10/10/08 had the following tidbit: Sneed hears rumbles political fund-raiser/fixer Tony Rezko, who is now singing sweetly to the feds from his cell at the Metropolitan Correctional Center, has been talking about his “dealings” with a Chicago bank, which has political connections.
(2) We just spoke with someone well-connected in Chicago politics who told us that the bank Sneed is talking about has to be Broadway Bank, which is owned by the politically-connected Giannoulias family. We were told that Sneed’s column confirms rumblings people we know heard independently that Tony Rezko is giving up the Giannoulias family to Patrick Fitzgerald — Rezko and the Giannoulias family are as close and tied together as anyone in Chicago could be. If Rezko is turning on them, then Rezko is going to give up Governor Rod Blagojevich and Obama too. We don’t want to end up in cement shoes for implying anything here, but if you live in Chicago for any length of time, you hear rumors about Broadway Bank, the Giannoulias family, and insert Tony Soprano references here. Kapeech?
(3) So, Rezko is singing about the Giannoulias family and its longtime “business dealings” in Chicago, which would interest someone like Fitzgerald and the Justice Department, who have had a long ambition to crack Soprano-style business dealings in Chicago (the city known for Al Capone hasn’t changed much, really). The next plate to drop in this will be Fitzgerald then leaning on the Giannoulias family to give up someone bigger than them, who Fitzgerald once discussed in terms of hoping “he has the morals to do the right thing”, to paraphrase. We now believe that person Fitz was talking about is Barack Obama.
(4) The Giannoulias family was involved with Obama as far back as his first state senate campaign in 1996. It has been long rumored here in Chicago that Obama obtained a sweetheart deal on his first town home here in Chicago — which he could not have afforded otherwise — and guess who the financing came from for that house? We’ve been told it was Broadway Bank, the Giannoulias bank. Now, this sets up a scenario where the Giannoulias family helps Obama with his campaign finances and gets him deeper in their pocket with his sweetheart mortgage deal (for the first home he owned that he could not afford) – all in exchange for quid pro quo to be determined later.
(5) One favor political Chicago claims Obama did for the Giannoulias family was in 2006 when, out of the blue, 29 year old Alexi Giannoulias, with no experience, and without ever having voted before, decides to run for State Treasurer of Illinois. Also out of the blue, Barack Obama endorses Alexi Giannoulias for State Treasurer. This was a SHOCK to everyone in Chicago — and Giannoulias would have never become State Treasurer without Obama’s help. In political circles here, it has always been believed that this endorsement was bought years ago with that sweetheart mortgage deal Broadway Bank arranged for Obama to buy his town house.
Re #393 - Do you know the date from the Sun Times source? Thanks.
It mentions 10/10/08 , so it’s after that...It was freepmailed to me so I don’t have the source or time....Sorry.
http://atlasshrugs2000.typepad.com/atlas_shrugs/2008/10/prison-time-for.html
Contains links & updates too.
Thanks very much for the link.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/2195455/posts
Banker with Blago and Rezko ties quits (Mahajan)
Marathon Pundit ^ | 2-25-09
Posted on Friday, February 27, 2009 10:34:12 AM by STARWISE
Earlier this month Amrish Mahajan resigned as president of Mutual Bank of Harvey, Illinois, an important financial institution for the Indian community of the Chicago area.
Mahajan raised over $500,000 for ousted Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich campaign fund. His wife Anita worked with Patti Blagojevich, Illinois’ former first lady, on several real estate deals. Anita is awaiting trial for allegedly over billing the Department Of Children & Family Services for drug-screenings.
Mutual Bank once held the mortgage to the “Rezko lot” adjacent to Barack Obama’s South Side mansion. Jailed-felon Tony Rezko advised Obama during the process of purchasing that home.
Rita Rezko, Tony’s wife, purchased the strip of land on the same day the Obamas closed on their stately house.
The Chicago Tribune is reporting that a Mahajan family attorney says Amrish’s departure from Mutual has nothing to do with the continuing Blago investigations.
Uh huh. Sure.
Moving ahead inch by inch, but progressing nonetheless.
Isn’t there some connection with Michelle and this doctor?
From:
http://www.chicagobreakingnews.com/2009/03/doctor-tied-to-tony-rezko-probe-to-plead-guilty.html
VIA:
http://www.chicagobreakingnews.com/2009/03/doctor-tied-to-tony-rezko-probe-to-plead-guilty.html
A Deerfield urologist caught up in the corruption probe surrounding Antoin “Tony” Rezko and other state government figures is scheduled to plead guilty next week, court records show.
Dr. Robert Weinstein was captured on tape discussing a number of crooked state deals with convicted influence peddler Stuart Levine, Weinstein’s longtime business partner who was the key witness in the Rezko trial.
Weinstein was charged last summer with conspiring with Levine to steal millions from a charity and a medical school. He faced trial at the end of the month.
—Staff report
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