Chicago Criminal Lawyer Blog

July 22, 2020

Feds File Criminal Charges Against ComEd

by Law Offices of David L. Freidberg, P.C.

While Donald Trump has recently announced that federal authorities will be unleashed in major democratic cities, by now, federal involvement in Chicago has been an ongoing fact of life for major developers and politicians for centuries. Most recently, the feds filed a criminal case against ComEd, and they are also targeting House Speaker Michael Madigan.

The feds have lobbyist Mike McClain speaking to a ComEd executive. He told this executive that he should not put anything in writing and that putting things in writing could “only hurt ya.” The two men then discussed a favor for Mike Madigan that federal authorities believe is part of a larger bribery scheme.

How Did the Bribery Scheme Work?

July 17, 2020

CPS Football Coach Facing Sexual Assault/Child Pornography Charges

by Law Offices of David L. Freidberg, P.C.

A former Chicago Public Schools football coach has been accused of sexual misconduct with one of his players. This individual is also accused of taking nude photos of the student and then posting those photos in the victim’s apartment building and in areas that would be on the way to his school.

Curtis Thomas worked at the Bronzeville Scholastic Institute High School when the alleged assault occurred. His official title was “school community representative.” Thomas was fired in 2014 and placed on a “do not hire” list.

CPS officials are not speaking publicly about the incident. They refused to indicate whether Thomas was a football coach on the team when the student was assaulted. Prosecutors, however, said that Thomas was among the football coaches on the team at the time of the assault. The boy was 15 in 2010 when the assault occurred.

July 15, 2020

CTA Employees Facing Charges After Fist Fight Goes Viral

by Law Offices of David L. Freidberg, P.C.

The Chicago Sun-Times reported on a CTA incident in which two CTA employees allegedly got into an altercation with a bus rider. The incident occurred on June 11. 28-year-old Leonard Anders Jr. and 46-year-old Milan Williams, both transit employees, have been fired and now face charges for their role in the incident. The victim, 43-year-old Lawrence Madden can be seen on video getting body slammed by Lawrence Madden who entered the altercation after a fight broke out between Anders and Madden.

CTA announced that the two men were being fired for violation of a number of rules, including conduct unbefitting of a CTA employee and failure to report the incident. The two men also face charges of misdemeanor battery and aggravated felony battery.

Who Threw the First Punch?

July 10, 2020

Charges Brought in July 4th Murder of 7-Year-Old Girl

by Law Offices of David L. Freidberg, P.C.

Charges have been filed against Reginald Merrill, a 33-year-old Chicago man who is being blamed for the death of a 7-year-old girl. It is one of several deaths across the country that have people taking a harder look at gang violence across America’s cities.

Mayor Lori Lightfoot delivered an impassioned plea to those responsible for this kind of violence. She said in a speech that she wanted us all to feel the loss of children dying at the hands of gang members who fire indiscriminately into crowds.

Merrill has been charged with first-degree murder and aggravated battery.

July 8, 2020

Man Faces Hate Crime Charges for Racist Graffiti

by Law Offices of David L. Freidberg, P.C.

Josia Biewer is facing hate crime charges for vandalizing both public and private property with racially inflammatory graffiti in Arlington Heights. Biewer, who is 20 years old, will face seven felony counts of criminal damage to property and hate crimes.

Once the racist graffiti began to pile up, police began patrolling areas where it was found. At 2 a.m., police noticed a suspicious vehicle. Police searched the area and discovered Josia Biewer attempting to get into the car. The vehicle sped off without its headlights on, but police were able to track down Biewer who later admitted to defacing the property.

Understanding Hate Crimes in Illinois

July 3, 2020

Kim Foxx Announces Most Protest Arrests Will be Dropped

by Law Offices of David L. Freidberg, P.C.

More than 3,000 Chicagoans were charged with criminal violations related to the George Floyd protests. Floyd was killed on camera when officer Daniel Chauvin kneeled on his neck for nearly nine minutes. The ensuing protests gripped the nation for the next month before quieting down in late June.

During these protests, skirmishes between police and protesters were common. While many of the protests remained peaceful, some included serious rioting and at least one Minneapolis police station was burned to the ground.

Charges Qualifying for Dismissal

July 1, 2020

Epstein’s Girlfriend Ghislaine Maxwell Arrested

by Law Offices of David L. Freidberg, P.C.

Ghislaine Maxwell, the former girlfriend of Jefferey Epstein, has been arrested on charges that she recruited underage women to perform sexual acts on Epstein at the couple’s West Palm Beach mansion. Maxwell was arrested by FBI agents in New Hampshire. Meanwhile, “Epstein didn’t kill himself” memes are still popular on the internet.

Epstein was taken into custody last year, where he apparently took his own life under suspicious circumstances in a federal detention center. Since then, speculation has been wild about how Epstein, who was reportedly on suicide watch, managed to get left alone long enough to hang himself. The security cameras that were supposed to be watching him were both either broken or turned off at the time.

The Case Against Ghislaine Maxwell

June 26, 2020

Pennsylvania Supreme Court to Hear Bill Cosby Appeal

by Law Offices of David L. Freidberg, P.C.

The Pennsylvania Supreme Court will hear two points that were raised by Bill Cosby’s defense attorneys in his 2018 sexual assault case. Cosby is accused of drugging and raping several women. Cosby, who is now 82, was convicted in 2018 of three counts of sexual assault and battery related to a single victim. He was sentenced to 10 years and has remained behind bars since then.

Two lower courts have already refused to overturn Cosby’s conviction. However, the Supreme Court could, if the rules of procedure were not followed properly, vacate the conviction and order a new trial.

What Arguments Will the Supreme Court Consider?

June 24, 2020

Former FBI Agent Charged With Stealing Classified Documents

by Law Offices of David L. Freidberg, P.C.

A top FBI agent who worked right here in Chicago’s organized crime division is being accused of stealing classified information and “hoarding” it. Yen Cham Yung managed to achieve top government clearance, but now he will be brought to Chicago to face charges.

Yung was accused of keeping hundreds of classified documents without consent. These documents did not contain information about spies or UFOs, but they did detail undercover informants, surveillance activity, and memos sent between supervisors concerning gang activity.

Yung also had a memorandum between CIA and FBI agents concerning activities in both the U.S. and abroad. Memoranda like these become necessary when the FBI and CIA are conducting operations against one another without realizing they are working for the same side. This memorandum was accessed by someone using Yung’s credentials.

June 19, 2020

Chicago Businessman Faces Federal COVID-19 Fraud Charges

by Law Offices of David L. Freidberg, P.C.

Rahul Shah became the first person in the Chicago area with the dubious distinction of defrauding the federal government for coronavirus relief funds. Shah applied for a $441,000 federal loan earmarked for small business relief during the coronavirus pandemic.

When confronted concerning the suspicious forms used to apply for the loan, Shah said he had workers in India file the forms for him. Later, however, he reversed course and admitted that the loan was keeping his business afloat. Shah is charged with bank fraud and making false statements to a financial institution.

The Paycheck Protection Program