Posted on 10/01/2005 9:50:50 AM PDT by Mike Bates
More than $60,000 in child welfare funds landed in a bank account controlled by a former state official and community activist with long-standing ties to Gov. Rod Blagojevich, according to a state investigative report reviewed by the Tribune.
Bamani Obadele, a well-known South Side minister who campaigned for Blagojevich in 2002, resigned in August from the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services, where he oversaw adoption and foster family programs.
Obadele, who said he left the $65,000-a-year job for personal reasons, has not been charged with any wrongdoing and denied in an interview Friday that he has done anything illegal.
But the department's inspector general recommended in July that Obadele be suspended without pay from his job as deputy director of external affairs. An investigation had found that three private agencies overseeing DCFS contracts made payments totaling $62,754 in DCFS funds that ended up in a bank account controlled solely by Obadele, according to a confidential interim report reviewed by the Tribune.
The matter was referred to law enforcement, according to the July 29 reported signed by Denise Kane, the DCFS inspector general.
It remains unclear how aware, if it all, the private organizations were of the alleged scheme.
The governor's office and DCFS on Friday confirmed the existence of an ongoing investigation into Obadele, but declined to discuss details.
In an interview with the Tribune, Obadele declined to answer direct questions about the allegations and said he hadn't heard them before. He said he has been interviewed several times by representatives from the DCFS inspector general's office.
"I don't know what the allegation is. This is all new to me," he said. "I almost find it laughable."
(Excerpt) Read more at chicagotribune.com ...
No, a Chicagoan, original name Paris Thompson, involved in financial fraud or corruption.
Even the Governor's state website doesn't mention he's a freaking DEMOCRAT....
Is Illinois trying to compete with Louisiana with the most corrupt politicians and proverty pimps on the State Payroll?
From the header found at Google -- It appears the good "minister" is playing the role of the Democrat Plantation "overload".....whipping the slaves into line for a little "grease" from the DEMOCRAT Governor..
Chicago Tribune | Minister resigns high DCFS post
Rod Blagojevich had known Bamani Obadele for 20 years when the governor hired the South Side Minister. Obadele helped deliver key black votes for .........??????????
Semper Fi
At the rate he's going, the Rodster is gonna make former Gov. Ryan look like a reformer.
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