Mob squeezed him; city squeezes widow (Kass: Chicago outfit, Daley machine)

Chicago Tribune ^ | 7-4-09 | John Kass

[STARWISE]

Whether the name of Richie Urso ever makes it into the corruption trial of former Gov. Rod Blagojevich next June is anybody's guess.

You've probably never heard of Richie Urso. But the FBI sure has heard of him.

His is a classic Chicago story, about a beefy yet charming guy born on Grand Avenue, who got in trouble with the law as a kid, only to make political friends and become extremely wealthy.

He was arrested once for jewelry theft in the '60s by the Outfit's top Chicago police detective, William Hanhardt. Urso's alleged partner in the theft was the mob enforcer Frankie Cullotta, who later became the technical adviser for the movie "Casino." The charges against Urso went away. Like I said, it's a Chicago story.

[STARWISE]

"Now the FBI is going through his business, interested in his associates, including former Mutual Bank of Harvey boss Amrish Mahajan, who has dropped off the political map. Though not charged, Uncle Amrish is under investigation as a top Blagojevich fundraiser."

~~~~~

"In the Washington Times — not from either of the Chicago papers — there is a report of a whistleblower lawsuit by previously unknown bank clerk Kenneth J. Connor against his former employer, the Mutual Bank Corporation in Chicago, for firing him because he refused to go along with an apparent real estate fraud involving the house that Barack Obama lives in.

The details are complex, including the inflating of the value of the lot that Rita Rezko purchased and later sold a piece of to Barack Obama, including the fact that the bank owner, Amrish Mahajan, is a long-time Rezko crony and creditor, and I point to the gifted encyclopedia site The Real Barack Obama for a full explanation and savvy speculation of the reason Mr. Connor is upset.

The heart of it is that Mr. Connor refused to go along with a fraud with regard the lot that Rita Rezko (as a cut-out for her husband Tony) bid on and purchased between January and June 2005 in order to make it possible for Barack and Michelle Obama to bid on and purchase their mansion at 5046 South Greenwood Avenue in Hyde Park."

~~~~

Pringle: Mansion Deal, Mutual Bank, Anita and Amrish Mahajan, the Daley gang (Excerpts)

Excerpt:

Evelyn Pringle, who has written extensively on Operation Board Games, provides some excerpts from her “Curtain Time for Obama” series of articles that specifically address the current resurfacing of the real estate deal involving the Obamas’ Hyde Park mansion and the Rezkos’ adjacent unimproved corner lot.

[STARWISE]

~~Chicago Way ........... PING!

[hoosiermama]

She told me Richie died of a heart attack on the kitchen floor of a girlfriend's home, on April 15, 2003.
>>>snip>>>
"The woman is Mary Ann Dinovo, who works in human resources for the county tax review board, which handles tax appeals for every parcel of real estate in the county.

Uncle "Amish" was connected in the article, but who is the lawyer that made his money by lowering taxes or something like that on property....Is he connected...Must go check the dots.

[hoosiermama]

FOund it:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/bloggers/2151323/posts?q=1&;page=307

Burke is Chicago’s most powerful alderman and the husband of Illinois Supreme Court Justice Anne Burke .

He has stated repeatedly that he does not represent any of his clients in their dealings with City Hall. His firm specializes in representing clients appealing property taxes before the county.

[hoosiermama]

Looks like FItz is going after Daley machine first.

Richie died on the kitchen floor of a girlfriend's home...

The woman is Mary Ann Dinovo, who works in human resources for the county tax review board, which handles tax appeals for every parcel of real estate in the county.

PLUS

He (ALDERMAN BURKE) stated repeatedly that he does not represent any of his clients in their dealings with City Hall. His firm specializes in representing clients appealing property taxes before the county.

Burke is Chicago’s most powerful alderman and the husband of Illinois Supreme Court Justice Anne Burke .

[jaz.357]

"~~Chicago Way ........... PING!"

Chicago way....BANG!