Rezko pleads guilty, Tony Rezko ready to testify in Blagojevich trial, October 2, 2010

Rezko pleads guilty, Tony Rezko ready to testify in Blagojevich trial, October 2, 2010

From the Chicago Tribune October 1, 2010.

“A onetime top fundraiser for former Gov. Rod Blagojevich who was already convicted of taking kickbacks from state contractors pleaded guilty Friday in a separate scheme involving the bogus sale of his pizza restaurants.

After the plea by Antoin “Tony” Rezko, his lawyer touted his client as “ready and willing” to be a “formidable witness” at Blagojevich’s retrial, though prosecutors didn’t put him on the stand for the former governor’s trial this summer.

Rezko pleaded guilty to a single count of wire fraud in connection with $10 million in fraudulent loans he arranged for business partners to buy a chain of pizza restaurants he owned in Illinois, Wisconsin and Michigan
Rezko pleaded guilty without a plea deal with prosecutors. U.S. District Judge James Zagel set sentencing for Dec. 19. Rezko has been in custody since a jury in 2008 convicted him of extorting millions of dollars from firms seeking state business or regulatory approval, even though he hasn’t yet been sentenced for that conviction.

Rezko’s attorney, Joseph J. Duffy, later made it clear his client would testify at Blagojevich’s retrial if prosecutors wanted him to take the stand. The jury in the first trial deadlocked on all but one count.

“He is ready and willing to testify, and he would be a formidable witness, well corroborated by the government’s evidence,” Duffy said.”

Read more:

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/ct-met-rezko-guilty-plea-20101001,0,5379736.story