Published on: September 24, 2024, 08:33h.
Last updated on: September 24, 2024, 08:33h.
The current mayor of Ford Heights, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago, has been found guilty of misappropriating public funds. Mayor Charles Griffin was convicted by a Cook County judge on Monday of stealing government property valued at over $10,000, but less than $100,000, as well as two counts of official misconduct.
Judge James Obbish stated that the prosecution presented substantial evidence that Griffin had diverted funds from gambling proceeds intended for the suburb, one of the poorest areas in Chicago. In Illinois, the state redistributes 15 percent of all video gambling revenues to local governments.
Between 2015 and 2017, Griffin allegedly misused the suburb’s funds for his personal gain, according to the prosecutors.
After being defeated by Annie Coulter in 2017, Griffin served as mayor from 2009 to 2017. During Coulter’s term, irregularities in the suburb’s finances were identified and reported, leading to a criminal inquiry.
‘The People Have Spoken’
Griffin was arrested and charged on August 23, 2018. Surprisingly, he ran for reelection in 2021 and emerged victorious. He dismissed the charges against him as a political maneuver by opponents.
Following his victory, Griffin stated, “The people have spoken. The town is going in the wrong direction. We will fix it and bring it back on track.”
Griffin was accused of depositing the embezzled funds into two undisclosed bank accounts under the village’s name, both of which he managed.
According to court papers, he spent thousands of dollars using a debit card at Walmart, Home Depot, Menards, L.A. Fitness, and various eateries.
He tried to conceal these transactions from other Ford Heights officials by having the statements sent to his residence.
During his defense testimony, an ex-lover of Griffin’s claimed that the bank statements were sent to his house to protect them from theft, a claim the judge characterized as “ridiculous.”
Reduced Stolen Amount
Nevertheless, Obbish did not hold the defendant accountable for stealing the full $147,000 that prosecutors alleged, determining that the actual amount was less than $100,000.
“We were disappointed, but we will accept the court’s decision and move forward step by step,” Griffin’s attorney Phillip Turner told The Chicago Sun Times.
The prosecution wanted the amount to be over $100,000, but the judge found it to be less than $100,000,” Turner added. “This makes a significant difference.”
Under Illinois law, an individual cannot hold public office if convicted of a felony. Griffin is scheduled to appear in court for post-trial motions and potentially sentencing on October 24.