Category Archives: Rezko

Blagojevich blames Obama for being in prison, Behind bars and going bonkers, White hair, Obama more rezko upped than me, Blagojevich sure he will be released within year

Blagojevich blames Obama for being in prison, Behind bars and going bonkers, White hair, Obama more rezko upped than me, Blagojevich sure he will be released within year

Why did Patrick Fitzgerald and the US Justice Department wait until December 2008 to arrest Rod Blagojevich?”…Citizen Wells

“I believe I’m more pristine on Rezko than him.”…Rod Blagojevich

“Regardless of how this plays out, it benefits Obama. If there is no appeal or the appeal is denied, Blagojevich will be sequestered. If the appeal proceeds, it could drag out beyond impacting the 2012 election cycle. The intent is obvious.”…Citizen Wells, July 19, 2011

 

 

From the National Enquirer April 9, 2015.
“WORLD EXCLUSIVE! BLAGO: BEHIND BARS & GOING BONKERS!”

“Disgraced former Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich has suffered a breakdown behind bars – and his famous mop top is now a dazzling snow white!

These extraordinary world exclusive photos – snapped by a jailhouse snitch and obtained by The National ENQUIRER – dramatically show how America’s most celebrated political inmate has gone loopy during his three years locked away at a Colorado correctional facility.

“He doesn’t really socialize and is very paranoid of everyone,” The ENQUIRER’s spy said.

Somber Blagojevich – federal inmate No. 40892-424 – whiles away his days bizarrely babbling about President Barack Obama and vowing that he will one day reclaim electoral glory!

“He’s constantly muttering to himself about Obama and blames the president for him being in prison and is sure he will be released within the year,” said the jailhouse source. “He plans to run for president as soon as he can!”

WORLD EXCLUSIVE! BLAGO: BEHIND BARS & GOING BONKERS!

What were Obama and Blagojevich discussing in 2008?

ObamaBlagoNov2008

 

 

“DATE: 11/12/2008
TIME: 10:44 A.M.
ACTIVITY: Rod Blagojevich home line incoming call.
SESSION: 545
SPEAKERS:
BLAGOJEVICH: Rod Blagojevich
HARRIS: John Harris

BLAGOJEVICH I just talked to Balanoff.

HARRIS Yeah. You called him?

BLAGOJEVICH Yeah.

HARRIS Okay.

BLAGOJEVICH It’s clear he got the message back from them they want no part of me. You know the Rezko thing and…

HARRIS Right, right.

BLAGOJEVICH I thin-, you know, it’s really, I get that I’m a big boy and I can handle that, but it’s really fucking galling, this guy is more Tony’d up than I am. And it’s almost like they fucking conspi-, made a concerted effort and they got the Chicago media to fucking make me wear Rezko more. To fucking dilute it from him.”

Blagojevich appeal delayed waiting on transcripts, Court clerk 5 1/2 month leave of absence, Delays help Obama, Transcripts of Blagojevich wiretaps hurt Obama

 

Blagojevich appeal status March 24, 2015, Sentence shortened or Obama pardon?, Obama cronies Rezko and Blagojevich know corruption details, Will Rod Blagojevich rat on Obama?

Blagojevich appeal status March 24, 2015, Sentence shortened or Obama pardon?, Obama cronies Rezko and Blagojevich know corruption details, Will Rod Blagojevich rat on Obama?

Why did Patrick Fitzgerald and the US Justice Department wait until December 2008 to arrest Rod Blagojevich?”…Citizen Wells

“I believe I’m more pristine on Rezko than him.”…Rod Blagojevich

“Regardless of how this plays out, it benefits Obama. If there is no appeal or the appeal is denied, Blagojevich will be sequestered. If the appeal proceeds, it could drag out beyond impacting the 2012 election cycle. The intent is obvious.”…Citizen Wells, July 19, 2011

 

 

You don’t suppose…

Two Obama cronies are languishing in prison.

Tony Rezko and Rod Blagojevich.

Tony Rezko has indicated that he would not rat out his buddy Obama.

Rod Blagojevich, in the approx. 3 percent of wiretaps released, inadvertently ratted out Obama.

You don’t suppose that Rezko, of Syrian birth, made a deal with Obama related to Syria?

I do suppose that Obama and Blagojevich have a deal. It probably involves others including former prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald.

Despite the lies told by Fitzgerald about the rapid arrest of Blagojevich, the prosecution and legal process of his trials and appeals has dragged out forever.

Remember, the feds knew about and began investigating the Blagojevich Administration by at least late 2003.

I stated some time ago that I believe that Blagojevich’s sentence would likely be reduced, that is, if Obama doesn’t pardon him first.

From Citizen Wells January 1, 2014.

“So far no one has ratted on Obama.

Tony Rezko said that he wouldn’t.

Some never had the chance.

Orlando Jones
Donald Young
Quarles Harris Jr.
Christopher Kelly
Bill Gwatney
Andrew Breitbart
Loretta Fuddy

I believe that Rod Blagojevich made a deal with Obama. Probably beginning in 2006.

I believe that Blagojevich, who was deeper under investigation than Obama, agreed to take the heat for a reduced or pardoned sentence.

ObamaBlagoNov2008

A lot of interesting things can happen in 2014.

We will know the results of the Blagojevich appeal ruling within a few weeks.

I believe that he will get a sentence reduction or a new trial.

This will determine what Obama does next. And of course Obama not being impeached or arrested will too.

If Obama does not lose senate control in 2014, I believe that he will pardon Blagojevich.

Of course the AL Supreme Court may rule that Obama is ineligible.

The Sheriff Joe Arpaio investigation may convince enough congressmen to investigate Obama.

Dead men don’t talk or do they?

There are plenty still alive who may talk. Even Tony Rezko.

The economy has been propped up by smoke and mirrors. That can only work so long.

Despite the best efforts of the media to talk of an economic recovery the economy on your street, not Wall St. has been heavily impacted.

Millions are unemployed, working part time, receiving food stamps and now being charged more for their healthcare insurance.

The media and Obama camp are trying to prop up the economy through the 2014 elections. They have to win.

By their own admission Obama could be impeached otherwise.

My hope for 2014 is that Obama is arrested and removed from office.

Survival of our nation depends on it.

2014 Obama Blagojevich Rezko, Economy collapse, Arpaio investigation of Obama fraud, AL Supreme Court ruling, Fuddy death, Wall St vs your street, Democrats need to win 2014 elections may get Trumped

 

Obama corruption trial witnesses Blagojevich and Rezko still in prison, Blagojevich appeal drags on, Rezko from Syria remains quiet, One year anniversary of prosecution response

Obama corruption trial witnesses Blagojevich and Rezko still in prison, Blagojevich appeal drags on, Rezko from Syria remains quiet, One year anniversary of prosecution response

Why did Patrick Fitzgerald and the US Justice Department wait until December 2008 to arrest Rod Blagojevich?”…Citizen Wells

“I believe I’m more pristine on Rezko than him.”…Rod Blagojevich

 

“Regardless of how this plays out, it benefits Obama. If there is no appeal or the appeal is denied, Blagojevich will be sequestered. If the appeal proceeds, it could drag out beyond impacting the 2012 election cycle. The intent is obvious.”…Citizen Wells, July 19, 2011

 

 

Stranger than fiction.

Unbelievable as a novel without an understanding of Chicago pay to play politics and the efforts made to protect Obama.

With our involvement in Syria the past several years, I couldn’t help but wonder if that is why Tony Rezko helped Obama get elected and then kept his mouth shut. Never called as a witness.

The two people who could nail Obama on the witness stand, Tony Rezko and Rod Blagojevich are still in prison.

Tony Rezko refused to rat on his friend Obama.

Blagojevich, who came under federal investigation by at least late 2003, is still awaiting a decision on his appeal.

It has been one year since the prosecution responded to the appeal filed on JUly 15, 2013.

From Citizen Wells November 13, 2013.

The prosecution of Blagojevich drags on and protects Obama.

From Fox News Illinois November 13, 2013.

“Prosecutors respond to Blagojevich appeal”
“Prosecutors have filed a response to Rod Blagojevich’s corruption conviction appeal. The 169-page government filing submitted late Tuesday urges the 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals to reject the imprisoned former governor’s request for a new trial. Defense lawyers filed the appeal on the Illinois Democrat’s behalf in July. It asks the Chicago-based appellate court to toss his convictions or at least reduce his 14-year prison sentence.”

Read more:

http://www.foxillinois.com/template/inews_wire/wires.regional.il/26fb71b1-www.foxillinois.com.shtml#.UoN2XPl4z90

From Citizen Wells July 16, 2013.

“Blagojevich appeals convictions, stiff sentence”

“Lawyers for Rod Blagojevich filed an appeal Monday challenging the imprisoned former Illinois governor’s corruption conviction and stiff, 14-year prison term.

The lengthy filing with the 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Chicago comes more than two years after the Chicago Democrat’s retrial and 16 months after he entered a federal prison in Colorado.

Jurors convicted Blagojevich, 56, of engaging in wide-ranging corruption, including that the two-term governor sought to profit from his power to appoint someone to the U.S. Senate seat that Barack Obama vacated to become president.

The appeal cites a juror who allegedly expressed a bias against Blagojevich who was seated despite the objections of defense attorneys. It also raises longstanding claims that Judge James Zagel barred FBI wiretap evidence that might have aided the defense and argues the judge miscalculated the appropriate prison term.

The appeal was filed about 30 minutes before a midnight deadline to do so.

In June, Blagojevich’s attorneys requested permission to file a longer-than-usual appeal, noting the trial produced 12,000 pages of transcripts. “The issues for appeal are numerous and complicated,” they wrote. The court agreed to let them file the equivalent of about 100 pages, which is what they did.

Blagojevich was convicted on 18 counts over two trials, jurors in the first deadlocking on all but one count. Taking the stand in the second, decisive trial in 2011, Blagojevich insisted his talking about wanting to sell Obama’s seat was just that — talk.

At his sentencing hearing later in 2011, an uncharacteristically deferential Blagojevich asked Zagel for mercy and said he accepted responsibility. He told the court in a hushed voice, “I caused it all.”

Despite those words, Zagel imposed a lengthy prison term, telling Blagojevich he had abused voters’ trust and undermined the democratic process “to do things that were only good for yourself.”

Many observers at the time said Blagojevich’s best hope on appeal wasn’t that a higher court would overturn his convictions but that appellate judges would agree his sentence was too harsh.”

http://www.theoaklandpress.com/articles/2013/07/16/news/doc51e4d91045f9d865437288.txt?viewmode=fullstory

The appeal.

http://www.scribd.com/doc/154180774/Blagojevich-Appeal

The response.

http://www.scribd.com/doc/183864545/Blagojevich-Appeal-Response-Prosecutors-oppose-new-trial

https://citizenwells.wordpress.com/2013/11/13/blagojevich-appeal-prosecutor-response-november-13-2013-169-page-plea-to-reject-new-trial-request-us-court-of-appeals-seventh-circuit-blagojevich-prosecution-drags-on-obama-protected/

From Citizen Wells October 26, 2014.

“The administration of Rod Blagojevich came under FBI scrutiny beginning in late 2003.

Yet, with all the harm Blagojevich et al were doing to the citizens of Illinois, he was not arrested until just after the 2008 election.

His arrest and the timing of his prosecution were clearly coordinated to have the least impact on Barack Obama.

That protection of Obama continues.

The 2010 election cycle has passed.

The 2012 election cycle has passed.

The 2014 election cycle is about to pass.

We have 6 sessions of the US Court of Appeals Seventh Circuit left before the November 4, 2014 elections.

If the decision comes before the election, I predict that Blagojevich will get a reduced sentence.

If not, it is entirely possible that Obama will pardon Blagojevich.

I believe that they have a deal.

ObamaBlagoNov2008

Blagojevich “prosecution” history.”

https://citizenwells.wordpress.com/2014/10/26/blagojevich-appeal-prediction-reduced-sentence-or-obama-pardon-6-seventh-circuit-appeals-court-sessions-before-nov-4-obama-protection-continues-obama-rezko-ties-blagojevich-fall-guy/

 

 

 

 

Blagojevich appeal prediction, Reduced sentence or Obama pardon, 6 Seventh Circuit Appeals Court sessions before Nov 4, Obama protection continues, Obama Rezko ties, Blagojevich fall guy

Blagojevich appeal prediction, Reduced sentence or Obama pardon, 6 Seventh Circuit Appeals Court sessions before Nov 4, Obama protection continues, Obama Rezko ties, Blagojevich fall guy

 

Why did Patrick Fitzgerald and the US Justice Department wait until December 2008 to arrest Rod Blagojevich?”…Citizen Wells

“I believe I’m more pristine on Rezko than him.”…Rod Blagojevich

“There is enough corruption in Illinois so that all it takes is someone who is serious about finding it to uncover it. If a U.S. attorney is not finding corruption in Illinois, they’re not seriously looking for it.”…Northwestern Law Professor James Lindgren

 

 

The administration of Rod Blagojevich came under FBI scrutiny beginning in late 2003.

Yet, with all the harm Blagojevich et al were doing to the citizens of Illinois, he was not arrested until just after the 2008 election.

His arrest and the timing of his prosecution were clearly coordinated to have the least impact on Barack Obama.

That protection of Obama continues.

The 2010 election cycle has passed.

The 2012 election cycle has passed.

The 2014 election cycle is about to pass.

We have 6 sessions of the US Court of Appeals Seventh Circuit left before the November 4, 2014 elections.

If the decision comes before the election, I predict that Blagojevich will get a reduced sentence.

If not, it is entirely possible that Obama will pardon Blagojevich.

I believe that they have a deal.

ObamaBlagoNov2008

Blagojevich “prosecution” history.

From Citizen Wells December 13, 2013.

The Rod Blagojevich appeal hearing is scheduled for today, Friday the 13th of December, 2013, in the US Court of Appeals Seventh Circuit.

This is part of a 10 year saga of investigations, prosecutions and perpetual delays.

Blagojevich, who was the presumptive presidential candidate, not Obama, in early 2006, should have been prosecuted before Tony Rezko, with stronger ties with Obama, and most definitely before the 2008 election.

Remember, the Blagojevich Administration was being investigated by the feds at least by late 2003 when the chicanery of Obama buddies Tony Rezko and Stuart Levine was being monitored by wiretap.

Attorney Len Goodman has made some strong arguments for a retrial or new sentencing hearing. Do not be surprised at the outcome.

I personally believe that the fix was in by 2006 and this is why Blagojevich was arrested after the 2008 election.

From Citizen Wells July 16, 2013.

“Lawyers for Rod Blagojevich filed an appeal Monday challenging the imprisoned former Illinois governor’s corruption conviction and stiff, 14-year prison term.

The lengthy filing with the 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Chicago comes more than two years after the Chicago Democrat’s retrial and 16 months after he entered a federal prison in Colorado.”

https://citizenwells.wordpress.com/2013/07/16/blagojevich-appeal-filed-july-15-2013-attorney-len-goodman-lauren-kaeseberg-judge-james-zagel-barred-fbi-wiretap-evidence-juror-bias-why-was-appeal-delayed/

The appeal.

http://www.scribd.com/doc/154180774/Blagojevich-Appeal

From Citizen Wells November 13, 2013.

“Prosecutors have filed a response to Rod Blagojevich’s corruption conviction appeal. The 169-page government filing submitted late Tuesday urges the 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals to reject the imprisoned former governor’s request for a new trial. Defense lawyers filed the appeal on the Illinois Democrat’s behalf in July. It asks the Chicago-based appellate court to toss his convictions or at least reduce his 14-year prison sentence.”

https://citizenwells.wordpress.com/2013/11/13/blagojevich-appeal-prosecutor-response-november-13-2013-169-page-plea-to-reject-new-trial-request-us-court-of-appeals-seventh-circuit-blagojevich-prosecution-drags-on-obama-protected/

The response.

http://www.scribd.com/doc/183864545/Blagojevich-Appeal-Response-Prosecutors-oppose-new-trial

On December 2, 2013 Blagojevich attorney Len Goodman filed a reply brief.

http://www.scribd.com/doc/190964843/Blagojevich-appeal-reply-brief-December-2-2013

From Citizen Wells March 7, 2013.

Still wondering about the continued delay in the prosecution of Rod Blagojevich, specifically the lengthy delay in his appeal?

Here is one of the reasons.

From Chicago Business March 6, 2013.

“Blagojevich attorney hopes three’s a charm”

“Will three be a charm for Chicago attorney Len Goodman?

He’s on a winning streak that he’s hoping will carry over to his next case — defending former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich.”

“The next big case on the criminal defense attorney’s plate is the appeal of Mr. Blagojevich, who is in prison in Colorado following his conviction on corruption charges.

“Right now, I’m just trying to get through 10,000 pages of trial transcripts,” says Mr. Goodman, who is the nephew of Chicago financier Lester Crown.

The case likely will go before the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals later this year.”

Read more:

http://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/20130306/BLOGS03/130309878/blagojevich-attorney-hopes-threes-a-charm

Of course there are other reasons why the appeal of Blagojevich has dragged on so long.

From Citizen Wells January 30, 2013.

“Here is the rest of the story.

Patrick Fitzgerald and the US Justice Department aggressively prosecuted George Ryan.

Patrick Fitzgerald and the US Justice Department, despite the fact that they began wiretaps in late 2003 and had in depth knowledge of corruption in the Rod Blagojevich Administration by 2005 at the latest, delayed the arrest of Blagojevich until after the 2008 election. The production of transcripts required for the Blagojevich appeal were delayed for over half a year by the US Justice Department in 2012, once again delaying the appeal until after the 2012 election.

From Citizen Wells  May 27, 2012.

“Fitzgerald aggressively prosecuted Republican ex Governot of Illinois, George Ryan and unjustly went after Scooter Libby and Karl Rove. Fitzgerald waited until after the 2008 elections to arrest Governor Rod Blagojevich despite the fact that he had details of corruption in the Blagojevich Administration at least by late 2003.

Is Patrick Fitzgerald a pawn, an idiot or corrupt?

From an FBI wiretap:

“You know, Axelrod and Obama’s people, you know, clearly turned, you know, got the Chicago media to make Rezko all about me.”

Late 2003.

Earliest documented awareness by FBI and Patrick Fitzgerald of corruption in Blagojevich admin. Pamela Meyer Davis agreed to secretly record conversations involving state health planning board with an FBI wire.

December 31, 2003 NY Times.

“Mr. Fitzgerald announced that he was prosecuting former Gov. George Ryan, a Republican, in a scandal that had been swirling around long before Mr. Fitzgerald got here and that many people thought would never touch the most powerful politicians in Illinois. But there Mr. Fitzgerald was, a week before Christmas, ticking off the details of a 91-page indictment against Mr. Ryan, seemingly from memory.

That, even Mr. Fitzgerald’s former opponents in the courtroom say, is classic Fitzgerald: dogged, dispassionate and endlessly prepared.”

April 8 – May 21, 2004 (Rezko Trial March 12, 2008; 11:11 a.m.)

“FBI Special Agent Daniel Cain, the primary case agent on the investigation into Levine and Rezko, is on the stand now in testimony that is laying the foundation for entering the wiretaps into evidence.

Cain said the investigation, dubbed Operation Board Games by the federal agents, began in December 2003 and was prompted by information gleaned from an informant whom he did not identify. That witness, he said, took part in meetings with two other individuals who were in contact with Levine by phone at his home.

Cain said Levine had three phone lines in his North Shore home. Federal agents recorded conversations on those lines April 8-May 21, 2004. Those dates span the time when Levine, Rezko and others allegedly were working to rig the hospital board vote on a Mercy Health System hospital proposal for Crystal Lake and other kickback schemes prosecutors claim they were engaged in.”

May 9, 2005.

Stuart Levine indicted on corruption charges. Federal subpoena issued to Tony Rezko.
June 15, 2005.

Obama purchased home next door to Rezko for $1.65 million, $300,000 less than the asking price.
June 15, 2005.

Rita Rezko, Tony’s wife purchased plot next door for $625,000 asking price.

October 25, 2005.

The Chicago Tribune reports about a federal grand jury investigation into the alleged political hiring practices of the Blagojevich administration.

January 2006.

Rita Rezko sells the Obamas one-sixth of her lot for $104,500.

August 5, 2006.

The Chicago Tribune reports that Stuart Levine is cooperating with the federal investigation of state government.”

“December 7, 2008.

Criminal complaint of Blagojevich. Nine individuals is important. Obama helped passed a bill to reduce the number from 15 to 9.

“b. Corruption of the Planning Board”
“At the relevant time period, the Planning Board consisted of nine individuals.”

“Planning Board” (IL Health Facilities Planning Board) is mentioned 31 times.

“Rezko” is mentioned 170 times.

“Hospital” in context of Mercy Hospital mentioned 8 times.
December 9, 2008.

Blagojevich arrested

“Fitzgerald said, “We make no allegations” that Obama was aware of any alleged scheming by Blagojevich.”

February 24, 2011.

Counts 1,2,4 in the Blagojevich Indictment are dropped. This represents approx. half of the indictment and includes numerous corruption ties to Blagojevich and Obama.”

“December 7, 2011.

Rod Blagojevich sentenced to 14 years.

Colin Powell, who has continued to endorse Barack Obama, knew that Scooter Libby and Karl Rove were innocent in the Valerie Plame leak. Yet Powell did not share his knowledge with the Bush Administration and thus allowed Patrick Fitzgerald to continue to investigate and prosecute Libby and Rove.

Why did Colin Powell allow Patrick Fitzgerald to be pulled away from the Blagojevich prosecution?

https://citizenwells.wordpress.com/2013/01/30/george-ryan-released-from-prison-former-il-governor-patrick-fitzgerald-aggressively-prosecuted-ryan-blagojevich-arrest-and-appeal-delayed-past-elections/

From Citizen Wells October 26, 2012.

“FOX Chicago News has learned that Rod Blagojevich’s appeal is still having trouble getting off the ground, because of delays in producing transcripts from his two trials.

For the second time in the last four months, Lauren Kaeseberg, one of the attorney’s handling Rod Blagojevich’s appeal, has been threatened with disciplinary action because she still hasn’t provided a complete copy of the Blagojevichtrial transcripts to the appellate court.

The appellate court won’t set a briefing schedule to get the appeal moving until the transcripts are available.

As FOX Chicago reported exclusively in August, the court reporter responsible for producing the 16,000 pages of transcripts took a leave of absence for five and a half months after Blagojevich was convicted. So, the appellate court agreed to wait until September 28th for the transcripts.

But, now in October, they’re still not completed. On Monday, the court issued an order, warning Kaeseberg again that she could face monetary or disciplinary sanctions. She responded Tuesday with an explanation, saying transcripts are still missing because they were under seal, or were handled by a different court reporter and she hopes to have them soon.”

“ The court reporter, trial judge James Zagel and the appeals court all have a responsibility to produce transcripts needed for an appeal in a timely manner.”

https://citizenwells.wordpress.com/2012/10/26/corrupt-obama-justice-department-delays-blagojevich-appeal-transcripts-still-not-ready-delay-in-appeal-protects-obama-obama-still-has-a-rezko-problem/

Citizen Wells for years has been questioning the delayed prosecution of Rod Blagojevich with the obvious intent of protecting Obama.

Today we present a new question that will be explored further soon.

“Why wasn’t Rod Blagojevich, the Governor of Illinois, wiretapped at least by 2005 when it was known in 2003 that there was widespread corruption in his administration?”

https://citizenwells.wordpress.com/2013/03/07/blagojevich-appeal-update-march-7-2013-10000-pages-of-delayed-trial-transcripts-7th-circuit-court-of-appeals-later-in-2013-fitzgerald-us-justice-dept-delayed-prosecution/

CHRISTOPHER KELLY HAD TIES TO  BLAGOJEVICH AND OBAMA.

https://citizenwells.wordpress.com/2013/12/13/blagojevich-appeal-friday-december-13-2013-us-court-of-appeals-seventh-circuit-new-trial-or-sentencing-hearing-attorney-len-goodman-strong-arguments-10-year-investigation-prosecution-with-perpet/

 

 

Raghuveer Nayak appeal fails, Obama Blagojevich contributor, Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals decision October 20, 2014, Operation Board Games Chicago IL pay to play politics

Raghuveer Nayak appeal fails, Obama Blagojevich contributor, Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals decision October 20, 2014, Operation Board Games Chicago IL pay to play politics

“Why did the Illinois Senate Health & Human Services Committee, with Obama as chairman, create and push Bill 1332, “Illinois Health Facilities Planning Act,” early in 2003, which reduced the number of members on the Board from 15 to 9, just prior to rigging by Tony Rezko and Rod Blagojevich?”…Citizen Wells

“Why did Patrick Fitzgerald, instead of protecting the citizens of Illinois as he has touted, prosecute Tony Rezko first, a businessman, instead of Rod Blagojevich, the governor of Illinois.”…Citizen Wells

“Why did Patrick Fitzgerald and the US Justice Department wait until December 2008 to arrest Rod Blagojevich?”…Citizen Wells

 

 

The appeal of Chicago, IL Obama Blagojevich crony Raghuveer Nayak has failed.

“We AFFIRM the judgment of the district court.”

http://media.ca7.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/rssExec.pl?Submit=Display&Path=Y2014/D10-20/C:14-1404:J:Flaum:aut:T:fnOp:N:1438223:S:0

From Citizen Wells June 23, 2013.

From the Morris Daily Herald June 21, 2012.

“A longtime friend of U.S. Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr.who was at the center of a Senate seat scandal that sent ex-Gov. Rod Blagojevich to prison was arrested Wednesday in his own federal fraud case, accused of bribing doctors to send patients to his surgical centers.

Raghuveer Nayak, a wealthy businessman and former campaign fundraiser for both politicians, was indicted on charges he secretly paid hundreds of thousands of dollars to physicians from 2000 to 2010 to have patients referred to Rogers Park One Day Surgery Center, Lakeshore Surgery Center and other Chicago-area facilities he owned.

The investigation of his businesses had hung over Nayak’s head for years, and his lawyer, Thomas McQueen, said the charges were not unexpected. “He knew this had never gone away,” McQueen said after the FBI arrested his client at Nayak’s Oak Brook home.

A frowning Nayak appeared Wednesday at the Dirksen U.S. Courthouse in a rumpled shirt and entered a plea of not guilty to the 19 fraud counts against him. U.S. Magistrate Judge Maria Valdez ordered him released on a $10 million bond secured by six properties in Illinois and Indiana after Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Niewoehner told the court that Nayak has “rather significant assets” and ties to India.

Nayak left the courthouse without commenting.

In making their case against Blagojevich, federal authorities alleged that it was Nayak, a longtime friend of the Jackson family, who offered up to $6 million in campaign money in exchange for Jackson being named a senator. Blagojevich was found guilty on corruption charges last year that included counts involving the attempted sale of the U.S. Senate seat vacated by Barack Obama after his 2008 election to the presidency.

Nayak was never charged in the Blagojevich case, and he quickly spoke with authorities after Blagojevich’s arrest in a bid for leniency. But he never was used as a witness, either, and investigators continued to look into his businesses.

Jackson testified at Blagojevich’s trial that he had no knowledge of a scheme to buy the Senate seat.

The indictment of Nayak is seen as one of the final offshoots of the sweeping federal investigation known as Operation Board Games, which in addition to Blagojevich led to convictions of fundraiser Antoin “Tony” Rezko, formerAld. Edward Vrdolyak, Republican power broker William Cellini and others. One of the final sentences in cases connected to that probe could be handed down as soon as next week, when political insider turned federal witness Stuart Levine is expected to learn his punishment.
Sources have confirmed that the Board Games investigation is wrapping up. U.S. Atty. Patrick Fitzgerald is leaving office at the end of the month, and one of the lead prosecutors against Blagojevich, Reid Schar, already has left.

Although he raised money for politicians for more than a decade, Nayak mostly worked under the radar until his connections to Blagojevich and Jackson surfaced in 2008 as part of the burgeoning federal investigation into the governor’s office.”

“The indictment unsealed Wednesday alleges as part of the scheme that “physicians deceived their patients by not disclosing that they were being paid for making referrals to Nayak’s facilities,” but Nayak was the only person charged. He allegedly created false contracts to disguise some of the illicit payments, describing them as money for advertising, according to the document.

Prosecutors are seeking $1.8 million in “alleged fraud proceeds” in the case.

In one kickback scheme, prosecutors alleged, Nayak paid one person, identified only as “Individual A,” more than $2 million in checks drawn on his surgery centers’ accounts. In return, “Individual A” gave Nayak cash equaling about 70 percent of the value of the checks, according to the indictment.

In the Blagojevich case, Nayak’s friend Bedi testified that Nayak issued about $2 million in checks to a Bedi-owned company. Bedi testified he provided cash in return and said he knew Nayak was cheating on his taxes by making the payments.

Nayak’s businesses have over the years needed the approval of state regulators and auditors, and Nayak became a big campaign bundler and contributor, donating more than $779,000 to elected officials including Blagojevich, Attorney General Lisa Madigan and Obama from the late 1990s until his name surfaced in the Blagojevich scandal.

The Tribune previously reported that after Nayak first opened several Chicago drugstores in the early 1980s, his businesses faced multiple audits by state and federal authorities. His name also came up repeatedly in one of the largest health care fraud investigations in Illinois history.

That multiyear federal probe resulted in the shuttering of two hospitalsDoctors Hospital and Edgewater Medical Centerand the convictions of seven doctors and administrators. Nayak, who then owned a lab testing company called NR Laboratories as well as an outpatient surgery center, was among numerous people who came under scrutiny, the Tribune had reported.

Some of Nayak’s associates and friends were convicted in the scheme, which included charges that two patients died from unnecessary procedures performed by doctors looking to collect fraudulent public aid checks.”

Read more:

http://www.morrisdailyherald.com/2012/06/21/blagojevich-fundraiser-accused-of-health-care-fraud/aui3jyk/

Raghuveer Nayak indictment.

http://chicagotonight.wttw.com/sites/default/files/Nayak%20Indictment.pdf

From Citizen Wells December 22, 2008.

“MARCH 18, 2008 ARTICLE ON NAYAK, BLAGOJEVICH, REZKO, WEISNER

“Tuesday, March 18, 2008
Move Over Rezko; Weisner-Blagojevich Crony Raghuveer Nayak
Continues to Spend Thousands on Elected Officials…in Iowa?

Aurora Mayor Tom Weisner, boytoy Gerry Galloway and
crony Raghuveer Nayak are viewing a property in downtown
Aurora in the path of a major development back in 2005.
Nayak is spreading his money around. All the way to Iowa.”

“Raghuveer Nayak, the campaign crony who has dumped tens of
thousands of dollars into the campaign pockets of Aurora
Mayor Tom Weisner and Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich, seems
to in a race to compete with another star campaign donor
from Illinois, Tony Rezko, to see how many people he can
contribute to and apparently “influence.”

While Rezko’s list includes some power names in Illinois,
including our local political rockstar, U.S. Senator and
Presidential candidate Barack Obama, Nayak seems to be
broadening his geographical reach (and Nayak is a Hillary
Clinton buddy).””

“The Case Against Barack Obama reveals Shomon connection

SHOMON CONNECTIONS TO WEISNER AND AURORA, IL
“Dan Shomon, who’s background is in media, has a lobbying
contract for the City of Aurora (scroll down or click for
our post on how Dan Shomon is fleecing the taxpayers of
Aurora). He got that contract after helping to secure a
political endorsement of Sen. Barack Obama for then-candidate
for Mayor of Aurora, Tom Weisner. That’s after
Obama said he wan’t going to be a “kingmaker” in Aurora.

We think it’s HIGHLY unethical of Dan Shomon or Tom Weisner
to exploit the taxpayers of Aurora for political purpose.
Barack Obama’s credibility is also risked in the process of
Shomon and Weisner’s games at the expense of taxpayers.”

“Like the ill-advised connection to Obama in Aurora, thanks
to Dan Shomon, Obama is mentioned in the same discusion with
all these problems with Giannoulias. Not good for a
political rockstar who otherwise could be on his way to
becoming President of the United States.””
“Aurora Mayor Thomas J. Weisner gave Shomon the lobbying
gig in exchange for political work, including getting the
endorsement of Barack Obama back in 2005 when Obama first
said he would remain “neutral” in the heated mayoral race.

Shomon’s main activities are political campaigns and helping
Obama and his friends like Alexi Giannoulias who is now the
Treasurer for the State of Illinois.”

“Plus, when all hell breaks loose on Weisner’s various problems
with cronyism and allegations of corruption (and it WILL),
it’s probably in Obama’s interest that Dan Shomon has nothing
to do with Weisner any longer.”

https://citizenwells.wordpress.com/2012/06/23/raghuveer-nayak-indicted-campaign-bundler-and-contributor-to-blagojevich-and-obama-jesse-jackson-jr-us-senate-seat-19-count-indictment/

 

FDIC v Amrish Mahajan et al update July 12, 2014, Obama Rezko lot Mutual bank loan, Mary Hakken-Phillips pleads fifth, Board minutes altered by Mahajan and Regas

FDIC v Amrish Mahajan et al update July 12, 2014, Obama Rezko lot Mutual bank loan, Mary Hakken-Phillips pleads fifth, Board minutes altered by Mahajan and Regas

“Why wasn’t Rod Blagojevich, Governor of IL, prosecuted before Tony Rezko, a businessman?”…Citizen Wells

“Why was Tony Rezko’s sentencing delayed?”…Citizen Wells

“Why did Mutual Bank fire whistleblower Kenneth J Connor after he
challenged the appraisal on the land purchased by Rita Rezko, just
prior to the land sale to Obama?”…Citizen Wells

 

 

From a memorandum opinion and order by Magistrate Judge Young B. Kim July 9, 2014 we learn.
“Background

Previous opinions resolving Defendants’ motions to dismiss, see FDIC v.
Mahajan, No. 11 CV 7590, 2012 WL 3061852, at *1-3 (N.D. Ill. July 26, 2012), and the FDIC’s motion to strike, see FDIC v. Mahajan, 923 F. Supp. 2d 1133, 1135-36 (N.D. Ill. 2013), describe the details of this case’s background facts and procedural history. What follows are the facts and allegations most pertinent to the questions presented in the current motion.

According to the FDIC, in November 2009, FDIC representatives interviewed
Hakken-Phillips concerning her work as the secretary of the Bank’s Board of
Directors and as the administrative assistant to Bank President Amrish Mahajan.
(R. 289, Mot. ¶ 1.) In support of its current motion the FDIC submitted an affidavit from Tina Solis, one of the FDIC’s attorneys, stating that during the interview Hakken-Phillips described preparing handwritten Board minutes which she then submitted to senior officers. (R. 289-1, Mot., Ex. A ¶¶ 4-5.) According to Attorney Solis’s affidavit, Hakken-Phillips said Defendants Mahajan and James Regas altered the minutes to remove references to “certain adverse matters,” and that she signed the final minutes “feeling that she had no choice but to do so.” (Id. ¶ 4.) The affidavit goes on to say that Hakken-Phillips discussed the Bank’s lending and credit administration practices, compiling reports on the Bank’s real estate portfolio and loan deficiencies, document shredding at the Bank, and Regas’s role in Bank operations. (Id. ¶¶ 5-6.) The FDIC alleges that several weeks after the interview, Hakken-Phillips voluntarily provided the FDIC with her handwritten draft Board minutes and handwritten “diaries” describing tasks, meetings, and communications with the Bank’s senior officers. (R. 289, Mot. ¶ 3.)

On October 25, 2011, the FDIC sued Defendants, each of whom was a
director, officer, board member, or attorney for the Bank. (See R. 1, Compl.) When the FDIC deposed Hakken-Phillips on October 31, 2013, she chose to invoke the Fifth Amendment in response to every question except those asking for her name, address, and educational background. (See R. 289-7, Mot., Ex. G, Hakken-Phillips Dep.) The FDIC filed the instant motion on June 2, 2014, to compel her testimony regarding the authenticity of the draft minutes, the explication of certain passages in those minutes, and the process of preparing the Bank’s final minutes. (R. 289, Mot. ¶ 16.) Hakken-Phillips filed a response on June 19, 2014, in which she requested leave to provide the court with “additional information” regarding the basis of her Fifth Amendment privilege assertion for an in camera review. (R. 302, Opp. ¶ 2.) With the court’s leave, Hakken-Phillips submitted her “additional information” on June 24, 2014, ex parte. (R. 304.) On June 26, 2014, the FDIC filed a reply in support of the current motion. (R. 306, Reply.)”

http://docs.justia.com/cases/federal/district-courts/illinois/ilndce/1:2011cv07590/261603/311

 

 

From Citizen Wells December 27, 2013.

“The FDIC lawsuit against Amrish Mahajan, et al is still alive.

Amrish Mahajan, the former president of Mutual Bank of Harvey, the bank that loaned Rita Rezko the money to buy the lot subsequently sold to the Obamas, has been barred from banking.

From Chicago Business July 1, 2013.

“Politically connected ex-Mutual Bank president barred from banking”

“Amrish Mahajan, former president of failed Mutual Bank of Harvey and a major fundraiser for imprisoned former Gov. Rod Blagojevich, has been barred from future participation in the banking industry under a newly released regulatory order.”

https://citizenwells.wordpress.com/2013/12/27/amrish-mahajan-obama-rezko-lot-bank-president-barred-from-banking-fdic-receiver-for-mutual-bank-v-mahajan-rita-rezko-loan-kenneth-conner-whistleblower/

Read more about the Mahajan Obama Rezko connection here.

https://citizenwells.wordpress.com/2013/07/09/obama-rezko-lot-transaction-bank-president-mahajan-fdic-lawsuit-motion-hearing-july-10-2013-judge-virginia-m-kendall-rezkos-sold-lot-to-obamas-kenneth-j-conner-whistleblower/

 

Obama Rezko lot purchase bank still in news, FDIC v Mutual Bank Amrish Mahajan et al, June 16, 2014, Magistrate status hearing and motion hearing, Tony Rezko corruption cronies

Obama Rezko lot purchase bank still in news, FDIC v Mutual Bank Amrish Mahajan et al, June 16, 2014, Magistrate status hearing and motion hearing, Tony Rezko corruption cronies

“Why wasn’t Rod Blagojevich, Governor of IL, prosecuted before Tony Rezko, a businessman?”…Citizen Wells

“Why did Mutual Bank fire whistleblower Kenneth J Connor after he challenged the appraisal on the land purchased by Rita Rezko, just prior to the land sale to Obama?”…Citizen Wells

“I believe I’m more pristine on Rezko than him.”…Rod Blagojevich

 

 

 

Residue from the Obama Chicago pay to play politics centering around Tony Rezko still sticks to the news.

The FDIC case against Mutual Banks officers, president Amrish Mahajan et al is still alive.

Mahajan has been barred from banking.

From the US District Court Northern District of Illinois.

The FDIC lawsuit against Amrish Mahajan, former president of Mutual Bank, et al is scheduled for a magistrate status hearing and motion hearing in the courtroom of Judge Young B. Kim  on June 16, 2014. Mutual Bank loaned Rita Rezko the money for the lot that was purchased by the Obama’s. It is also the bank that fired whistleblower Kenneth J. Conner after he questioned the appraisal of that lot.

Daily Calendar

Monday, June 16, 2014 (As of 06/16/14 at 04:46:56 AM )

Honorable Young B. Kim Courtroom 1019 (YBK)

1:11-cv-07590 Federal Deposit Insurance Corporatio 08:30 Magistrate Status Hearing

1:11-cv-07590 Federal Deposit Insurance Corporatio 08:30 Motion Hearing

http://www.ilnd.uscourts.gov/home/DailyCal/0.htm

From Citizen Wells June 5, 2012.

The Obama camp, with the full cooperation of the mainstream media and US Justice Dept., has done their best to distance Obama from his numerous close corruption ties in Chicago and Illinois. The delayed and dragged out prosecution of Rod Blagojevich with his mutual ties to Tony Rezko, the failure to call Rezko as a witness and the dropping of counts against Blagojevich that are most damning for Obama, is one good example.

With the best attempts to divert attention away from Obama’s corrupt past, the Ghosts of Obama’s Christmas past continue to linger.

From an article written by truthteller and presented on NoQuarter USA on October 12, 2008.

“”Because I tend to rely on evidence and not on hearsay, I believe we should focus our attention on Amrish Mahajan and the Mutual Bank of Harvey, not on Giannoulias and the Broadway Bank, if we are to assign names to the financial institution about which Sneed of the Chicago Sun-Timeshas heard “rumblings.” Although Mahajan is not known to readers ofNo Quarter and to the national media, I imagine they will desire more information on the unscrupulous banker once they read the information I unpack below the fold. And yes, Obama is involved, deeply involved.”

My interest in Amrish Mahajan and the Mutual Bank of Harvey was picqued by this list of contributors in Rezko’s bundling network provided by the Chicago Sun-Times last March. View the second page of the document, and notice the following entry:

Last name First name Obama donations Rezko connection
Mahajan Amrish $2,500 Banker whose bank loaned money to Rezko companies. The bank also loaned Rezko’s wife money to buy a vacant lot next to Obama’s home.

The data available in the Sun-Times spreadsheet is corroborated by the following data, which is democratically available at the Federal Election Commission‘s website:

MAHAJAN, AMRISH
CHICAGO, IL 60607
MUTUAL BANK

OBAMA, BARACK
VIA OBAMA FOR ILLINOIS INC
12/20/2003 500.00 24020030170
04/14/2004 1000.00 24020461757

Not only was Mahajan a member of Rezko’s bundling network; his bank, the Mutual Bank of Harvey, granted Rita Rezko the $500,000 mortgage she neededin order to purchase the lot on which the Obama mansion in Chicago sits. As many of you may recall, the Obamas could not have purchased the mansion they could not afford unless transactions for the mansion and the lot closed on the same day. Obama needed to locate someone who would buy the lot, and he approached Rezko, the convicted slumlord with whom Obama toured the property before they mutually agreed to the following arrangement:

The home and lot sales closed on June 15, 2005. A land trust controlled by the Obamas bought the house for $1.65 million, and the Obamas secured a $1.32 million mortgage from Northern Trust to complete that purchase. That same day, Rezko’s wife, Rita Rezko, bought the side lot for $625,000. A $37,000- a-year Cook County employee, she secured a $500,000 mortgage from Mutual Bank of Harvey.

The structure of this transaction begs the following question: What bank would lend a government employee who earns $37,000 per annum a $500,000 mortgage? What bank would assume such a risk?

The Mutual Bank of Harvey, of course, for the Mutual Bank of Harvey’s President is a man who is deeply connected to the Chicago machine that backed Barack Obama. Indeed, Amrish Mahajan was one of Mayor Daley’s first political appointments in 1989, when he was named to a seat on Chicago’s Plan Commission, where he would be joined by Obama’s former boss and Rezko’s business partner Allison Davis and by Valerie Jarrett, Daley’s Chief of Staff whochaired the Commission from 1991-1995. Mahajan, in other words, worked with those who devised and profited from Daley’s failed public housing experiment in Chicago, a public housing policy Obama helped fund as state Senator and US Senator.

Rezko, according to the Boston Globe, was one of the major beneficiaries of Obama’s legislative advocacy for funding of Daley’s public housing experiment. Other major beneficiaries are Jarrett and Allison Davis. Mahajan was also a beneficiary, for his bank had made $3.4 million dollars in loans to Tony Rezko’s slum landlord business since 2002. A banker for one of the slumlords who benefitted from the Daley housing program Obama helped bankroll, Mahajan was returning a favor when he wrote a $500,000 mortgage in 2005 for the wife of one of his clients. Although Tony’s financial problems were mounting in 2005, and although Rita earned only $35,000 per annum, Mahajan underwrote the mortgage. Favors must be reciprocated, I guess, especially when one can satisfy two parties at once: the person with whom one has a complicated relationship in real estate and the politician who helped finance that complicated relationship as state Senator and US Senator.

I doubt federal investigators are interested in the Mahajans solely for their involvement in the property deal involving Obama, Mahajan and the Rezkos. The Mahajans, I believe, are the foci of their probe for many reasons.

The real estate transaction involving Rita Rezko, the Obamas and Mutual Bank of Harvey is just the tip of the iceberg. Indeed, the Mutual Bank of Harvey seems to be at the center of all the corruption in Chicago. To quote former Donald Perillo, Chicago insurance mogul and son of the lawyer for Al Capone, in the Chicago Tribune article I cite above:

Donald Parrillo said he isn’t surprised to see Mahajan mix it up with politics and business. “He got that attitude from the Parrillo family,” the former alderman said. “He wanted to get in the game.”

And Mahajan certainly is in the game. The banker of the Chicago machine, he is also the man who wrote the mortgage for Rita Rezko that facilitated Obama’s purchase the mansion he could not afford. This is why I believe prosecutors are interested in Harvey Mutual Bank. Not only did Rezko receive loans from this institution; this bank is heavily involved in problematic real estate dealings involving Blagojevich and Obama. And if I may quote Rezko in the 9 JUN letter he wrote to Judge Amy St. Eve:

Your Honor, the prosecutors have been overzealous in pursuing a crime that never happened. They are pressuring me to tell them the “wrong” things that I supposedly know aboutGovernor Blagojevich and Senator Obama. I have never been party to any wrongdoing that involved the Governor or the Senator. I will never fabricate lies about anyone else for selfish purposes. I will take what comes my way, but I will never hurt innocent people. I am not Levine, Loren, Mahru , or Winter.”

Rezko is now talking, and prosecutors are presently interested in a politically connected financial institution. I bet Obama now regrets paying Rita Rezko $104,500 for the strip of the land in the lot on which his house sits in January 2006. Acquired with the assistance of a questionable $500,000 mortgage from Amrish Mahajan’s Mutual Bank of Harvey, this lot and Obama’s desire to expand his yard by bit was the catalyst for all the investigative reports into Obama’s deep ties to Rezko. By the way, Rita’s lot is only accessible through the front gate of Obama’s home; it is not a separate property, and it was never intended to be a separate property.

“It was a mistake to have been engaged with him at all in this or any other personal business dealing that would allow him, or anyone else, to believe that he had done me a favor,” Obama says of the real estate transactions with Rezko. I wonder if now he also believes it was a mistake for him to serve as the legislator who represented and bankrolled Richard Daley, Amrish Mahajan, Valerie Jarrett, Allison Davis and the Chicago Plan Commission. But at least he and Michelle have a house, a house the Mutual Bank of Harvey, the politically connected bank that wrote loans for Rezko, helped them procure in 2005. Too bad that house will be the end of Barack Obama.

obama-home.jpg

http://www.noquarterusa.net/blog/5382/about-the-financial-institution-mentioned-in-the-sun-times-obama-tony-rezko-amrish-mahajan-the-kenwood-mansion-rita-rezko/

From Citizen Wells November 1, 2011.

“Here is what we know about the purchase of a lot by Barack and Michelle Obama from Rita Rezko in 2006:

1. “In June, 2005, Mutual Bank President and CEO Amrish Mahajan and
other Mutual Bank officers approved a loan to Rita Malki Rezko (Rita
Rezko) which was guaranteed by Antonin Rezko so that Rita Rezko could
purchase a 9,090 square foot vacant parcel of real estate at 5050 S.
Greenwood Avenue, Chicago.” (Conner lawsuit)

2. “On or about January 4, 2006, Rita Rezko entered into an
agreement with Senator Barack and Michelle Obama (Obamas) to sell a
ten-foot strip of the 5050 S. Greenwood property to the Obamas.”
(Conner lawsuit)

3. “In late 2005 or early 2006, Conner performed an appraisal review
of the Adams Appraisal (Exhibit C) per the directive of Richard Barth
and James Murphy. Conner prepared a written Appraisal Review report
(ARR) opining that the Adams Appraisal overvalued the Greenwood lot by
a minimum of $ 125,000.00 and that a reasonable and fair valuation for
Mutual Banks’s underwriting purposes should be no greater than $
500,000.00 for the entire 5050 S. Greenwood parcel as originally
purchased by Rita Rezko.” (Conner lawsuit)

4. “On or about October 19, 2006, Mutual Bank received a Grand Jury
Subpoena (GJS) requiring Mutual Bank to produce the Rezko 5050
Greenwood loan file, as well as a Rita Rezko Riverside District
Development LLC checking account and loan file.” (Conner lawsuit)

5. “In October, 2007, Conner had various communications with Mutual
Bank’s Human Resources Department representative, Lana Schlabach. In
an email communication of October 15, 2007, Conner directly referenced
“Resentment over my mentioned discovery of the removal/replacement of
an appraisal review that I conducted. That appraisal review contained
substantial observations and suggestions. The transaction and parties
involved were high profile in the media.I am under the impression that
the FBI has since looked at the file.”” On October 23, 2007, eight days after Conner’s October 15, 2007 email to Schlabach attached as Exhibit J, Mutual Bank terminated Conner’s employment for pretextual reasons.” (Conner lawsuit)

6. “On October 23, 2007, eight days after Conner’s October 15, 2007
email to Schlabach attached as Exhibit J, Mutual Bank terminated
Conner’s employment for pretextual reasons.” (Conner lawsuit)

7. The FDIC has filed a lawsuit against Mutual Bank, Amrish Mahajan, Richard Barth, et al.”

https://citizenwells.wordpress.com/2011/11/01/fdic-mutual-bank-lawsuit-reveals-rezko-obama-corruption-kenneth-j-conner-lawsuit-amrish-mahajan-richard-barth-where-did-rezkos-get-the-money/

From ABC News Chicago August 22, 2011.

“Anita Mahajan, a Chicago businesswoman with ties to former governor Rod Blagojevich, pleaded guilty to bilking the state of Illinois by submitting bogus bills.

“I’m sorry,” Mahajan said in court Monday while pleading guilty to felony theft for pilfering about $100,000 in taxpayer money through her drug-testing company, K.K. Bio-Science. That company is now defunct.

The 60-year-old received four years of probation, agreed to pay $200,000 in fines and perform 1,500 hours of community service.

Mahajan’s husband, Amrish, was a banker and significant fundraiser for Blagojevich. Also, Blagojevich’s wife, Patti, made more than $100,000 in commissions handling real estate deals for the Mahajans in 2006, which caused a stir in the Blagojevich re-election campaign. The following year, Mahajan was charged with cheating the state of out of $2 million for drug tests that were never performed.

“People of this state were being cheated,” Dick Devine said in 2007 when he was the state’s attorney while announcing a seven-count indictment against Mahajan. The attorney general sued to recover the state’s lost money.

Four years later, Mahajan pleaded guilty to a single, reduced charge of theft instead of the felonies that would have sent her to prison for at least six years.

“Anita Mahajan is another example of the collateral damage that’s been left in the wake of the Rod Blagojevich Tsunami,” Steve Miller, Mahajan’s attorney, said.””

http://abclocal.go.com/wls/story?section=news/local&id=8320596&rss=rss-wls-article-8320596

From the FDIC lawsuit against Amrish Mahajan, et al.

“6. The Director Defendants also wasted corporate assets and drained the Bank’s capital by…(c) authorizing $ 495,000 in “bonuses” to pay for the criminal defense costs for the Defendant Amrish Mahajan’s wife who was indicted for Medicaid fraud”

“32. The Director and Officer Defendants failed to establish procedures that would have lessened the risks of the Bank’s improvidant lending practices. The terms of transactions were not accurately documented. Status reports were missing so that records of how an asset was progressing were not available. Terms of loans were changed at closing without board or loan committee approvals or any rcord in the file. Loan guarantees were frequently missing from the files. Appraisers were retained by brokers with an interest in seeing transactions consummated, not by the bank. Appraisals were often received after the loan was funded. Loans were typically non-recourse and dependent on guarantor abilities to repay in the event that the collateral was insufficient. Yet, little or no attention was paid to whether guarantors had sufficient liquidity to protect the Bank’s interest; the officers and the Board did little or no analysis of guarantor or borrower financial strength.”

http://www.courthousenews.com/2011/10/26/FDIC.pdf

From the Washington Times November 4, 2008.

“A former Illinois real estate specialist says FBI agents have questioned him about a Chicago property that had been bought by convicted felon Tony Rezko’s wife and later sold to the couple’s next-door neighbor, Sen. Barack Obama.

The real estate specialist, Kenneth J. Conner, said bank officials replaced an appraisal review he prepared on the property and FBI agents were investigating in late 2007 whether the Rezko-Obama deal was proper.

“Agents and I talked about payoff, bribe, kickback for a long time, though it took them only a short number of minutes of talking with me while looking at the appraisal to acknowledge what they already seemed to know: The Rezko lot was grossly overvalued,” Mr. Conner told The Washington Times Monday.

“Rezko paid the asking price on the same day Obama paid $300,000 less than the asking price to the same seller for his adjacent mansion,” he said. “This begs the question of payoff, bribe, kickback.””

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2008/nov/04/fbi-asked-questions-on-rezko-land-deal/

Obama’s Rezko problem is not going away.

 

 

 

 

Obama related corruption cases alive, Blagojevich appeal and FDIC v Mutual Bank Amrish Mahajan et al, Tony Rezko corruption cronies, Thursday May 29, 2014 1:11-cv-07590 FDIC case magistrate status hearing and motion hearing

Obama related corruption cases alive, Blagojevich appeal and FDIC v Mutual Bank Amrish Mahajan et al, Tony Rezko corruption cronies, Thursday May 29, 2014 1:11-cv-07590 FDIC case magistrate status hearing and motion hearing

“Why wasn’t Rod Blagojevich, Governor of IL, prosecuted before Tony Rezko, a businessman?”…Citizen Wells

“Why was Tony Rezko’s sentencing delayed?”…Citizen Wells

“Why did Mutual Bank fire whistleblower Kenneth J Connor after he
challenged the appraisal on the land purchased by Rita Rezko, just
prior to the land sale to Obama?”…Citizen Wells

 

 

Two cases still alive in federal court in Northern Illinois touch Obama and Obama’s Chicago corruption ties to Tony Rezko.

The Blagojevich appeal still drags on even though the feds began investigating him late in 2003.

The FDIC case against Mutual Banks officers, president Amrish Mahajan et al is still alive.

Mahajan has been barred from banking.

From the US District Court Northern District of Illinois.

The FDIC lawsuit against Amrish Mahajan, former president of Mutual Bank, et al is scheduled for a magistrate status hearing and motion hearing in the courtroom of Judge Young B. Kim  on May 29, 2014. Mutual Bank loaned Rita Rezko the money for the lot that was purchased by the Obama’s. It is also the bank that fired whistleblower Kenneth J. Conner after he questioned the appraisal of that lot.

Daily Calendar

Thursday, May 29, 2014 (As of 05/28/14 at 02:52:28 PM)

Honorable Young B. Kim Courtroom 1019 (YBK)

1:11-cv-07590 Federal Deposit Insurance Corporatio 08:30 Magistrate Status Hearing

1:11-cv-07590 Federal Deposit Insurance Corporatio 11:00 Motion Hearing

http://www.ilnd.uscourts.gov/home/DailyCal/0.htm

From Citizen Wells June 5, 2012.

The Obama camp, with the full cooperation of the mainstream media and US Justice Dept., has done their best to distance Obama from his numerous close corruption ties in Chicago and Illinois. The delayed and dragged out prosecution of Rod Blagojevich with his mutual ties to Tony Rezko, the failure to call Rezko as a witness and the dropping of counts against Blagojevich that are most damning for Obama, is one good example.

With the best attempts to divert attention away from Obama’s corrupt past, the Ghosts of Obama’s Christmas past continue to linger.

From an article written by truthteller and presented on NoQuarter USA on October 12, 2008.

“”Because I tend to rely on evidence and not on hearsay, I believe we should focus our attention on Amrish Mahajan and the Mutual Bank of Harvey, not on Giannoulias and the Broadway Bank, if we are to assign names to the financial institution about which Sneed of the Chicago Sun-Timeshas heard “rumblings.” Although Mahajan is not known to readers ofNo Quarter and to the national media, I imagine they will desire more information on the unscrupulous banker once they read the information I unpack below the fold. And yes, Obama is involved, deeply involved.”

My interest in Amrish Mahajan and the Mutual Bank of Harvey was picqued by this list of contributors in Rezko’s bundling network provided by the Chicago Sun-Times last March. View the second page of the document, and notice the following entry:

Last name First name Obama donations Rezko connection
Mahajan Amrish $2,500 Banker whose bank loaned money to Rezko companies. The bank also loaned Rezko’s wife money to buy a vacant lot next to Obama’s home.

The data available in the Sun-Times spreadsheet is corroborated by the following data, which is democratically available at the Federal Election Commission‘s website:

MAHAJAN, AMRISH
CHICAGO, IL 60607
MUTUAL BANK

OBAMA, BARACK
VIA OBAMA FOR ILLINOIS INC
12/20/2003 500.00 24020030170
04/14/2004 1000.00 24020461757

Not only was Mahajan a member of Rezko’s bundling network; his bank, the Mutual Bank of Harvey, granted Rita Rezko the $500,000 mortgage she neededin order to purchase the lot on which the Obama mansion in Chicago sits. As many of you may recall, the Obamas could not have purchased the mansion they could not afford unless transactions for the mansion and the lot closed on the same day. Obama needed to locate someone who would buy the lot, and he approached Rezko, the convicted slumlord with whom Obama toured the property before they mutually agreed to the following arrangement:

The home and lot sales closed on June 15, 2005. A land trust controlled by the Obamas bought the house for $1.65 million, and the Obamas secured a $1.32 million mortgage from Northern Trust to complete that purchase. That same day, Rezko’s wife, Rita Rezko, bought the side lot for $625,000. A $37,000- a-year Cook County employee, she secured a $500,000 mortgage from Mutual Bank of Harvey.

The structure of this transaction begs the following question: What bank would lend a government employee who earns $37,000 per annum a $500,000 mortgage? What bank would assume such a risk?

The Mutual Bank of Harvey, of course, for the Mutual Bank of Harvey’s President is a man who is deeply connected to the Chicago machine that backed Barack Obama. Indeed, Amrish Mahajan was one of Mayor Daley’s first political appointments in 1989, when he was named to a seat on Chicago’s Plan Commission, where he would be joined by Obama’s former boss and Rezko’s business partner Allison Davis and by Valerie Jarrett, Daley’s Chief of Staff whochaired the Commission from 1991-1995. Mahajan, in other words, worked with those who devised and profited from Daley’s failed public housing experiment in Chicago, a public housing policy Obama helped fund as state Senator and US Senator.

Rezko, according to the Boston Globe, was one of the major beneficiaries of Obama’s legislative advocacy for funding of Daley’s public housing experiment. Other major beneficiaries are Jarrett and Allison Davis. Mahajan was also a beneficiary, for his bank had made $3.4 million dollars in loans to Tony Rezko’s slum landlord business since 2002. A banker for one of the slumlords who benefitted from the Daley housing program Obama helped bankroll, Mahajan was returning a favor when he wrote a $500,000 mortgage in 2005 for the wife of one of his clients. Although Tony’s financial problems were mounting in 2005, and although Rita earned only $35,000 per annum, Mahajan underwrote the mortgage. Favors must be reciprocated, I guess, especially when one can satisfy two parties at once: the person with whom one has a complicated relationship in real estate and the politician who helped finance that complicated relationship as state Senator and US Senator.

I doubt federal investigators are interested in the Mahajans solely for their involvement in the property deal involving Obama, Mahajan and the Rezkos. The Mahajans, I believe, are the foci of their probe for many reasons.

The real estate transaction involving Rita Rezko, the Obamas and Mutual Bank of Harvey is just the tip of the iceberg. Indeed, the Mutual Bank of Harvey seems to be at the center of all the corruption in Chicago. To quote former Donald Perillo, Chicago insurance mogul and son of the lawyer for Al Capone, in the Chicago Tribune article I cite above:

Donald Parrillo said he isn’t surprised to see Mahajan mix it up with politics and business. “He got that attitude from the Parrillo family,” the former alderman said. “He wanted to get in the game.”

And Mahajan certainly is in the game. The banker of the Chicago machine, he is also the man who wrote the mortgage for Rita Rezko that facilitated Obama’s purchase the mansion he could not afford. This is why I believe prosecutors are interested in Harvey Mutual Bank. Not only did Rezko receive loans from this institution; this bank is heavily involved in problematic real estate dealings involving Blagojevich and Obama. And if I may quote Rezko in the 9 JUN letter he wrote to Judge Amy St. Eve:

Your Honor, the prosecutors have been overzealous in pursuing a crime that never happened. They are pressuring me to tell them the “wrong” things that I supposedly know aboutGovernor Blagojevich and Senator Obama. I have never been party to any wrongdoing that involved the Governor or the Senator. I will never fabricate lies about anyone else for selfish purposes. I will take what comes my way, but I will never hurt innocent people. I am not Levine, Loren, Mahru , or Winter.”

Rezko is now talking, and prosecutors are presently interested in a politically connected financial institution. I bet Obama now regrets paying Rita Rezko $104,500 for the strip of the land in the lot on which his house sits in January 2006. Acquired with the assistance of a questionable $500,000 mortgage from Amrish Mahajan’s Mutual Bank of Harvey, this lot and Obama’s desire to expand his yard by bit was the catalyst for all the investigative reports into Obama’s deep ties to Rezko. By the way, Rita’s lot is only accessible through the front gate of Obama’s home; it is not a separate property, and it was never intended to be a separate property.

“It was a mistake to have been engaged with him at all in this or any other personal business dealing that would allow him, or anyone else, to believe that he had done me a favor,” Obama says of the real estate transactions with Rezko. I wonder if now he also believes it was a mistake for him to serve as the legislator who represented and bankrolled Richard Daley, Amrish Mahajan, Valerie Jarrett, Allison Davis and the Chicago Plan Commission. But at least he and Michelle have a house, a house the Mutual Bank of Harvey, the politically connected bank that wrote loans for Rezko, helped them procure in 2005. Too bad that house will be the end of Barack Obama.

obama-home.jpg

http://www.noquarterusa.net/blog/5382/about-the-financial-institution-mentioned-in-the-sun-times-obama-tony-rezko-amrish-mahajan-the-kenwood-mansion-rita-rezko/

From Citizen Wells November 1, 2011.

“Here is what we know about the purchase of a lot by Barack and Michelle Obama from Rita Rezko in 2006:

1. “In June, 2005, Mutual Bank President and CEO Amrish Mahajan and
other Mutual Bank officers approved a loan to Rita Malki Rezko (Rita
Rezko) which was guaranteed by Antonin Rezko so that Rita Rezko could
purchase a 9,090 square foot vacant parcel of real estate at 5050 S.
Greenwood Avenue, Chicago.” (Conner lawsuit)

2. “On or about January 4, 2006, Rita Rezko entered into an
agreement with Senator Barack and Michelle Obama (Obamas) to sell a
ten-foot strip of the 5050 S. Greenwood property to the Obamas.”
(Conner lawsuit)

3. “In late 2005 or early 2006, Conner performed an appraisal review
of the Adams Appraisal (Exhibit C) per the directive of Richard Barth
and James Murphy. Conner prepared a written Appraisal Review report
(ARR) opining that the Adams Appraisal overvalued the Greenwood lot by
a minimum of $ 125,000.00 and that a reasonable and fair valuation for
Mutual Banks’s underwriting purposes should be no greater than $
500,000.00 for the entire 5050 S. Greenwood parcel as originally
purchased by Rita Rezko.” (Conner lawsuit)

4. “On or about October 19, 2006, Mutual Bank received a Grand Jury
Subpoena (GJS) requiring Mutual Bank to produce the Rezko 5050
Greenwood loan file, as well as a Rita Rezko Riverside District
Development LLC checking account and loan file.” (Conner lawsuit)

5. “In October, 2007, Conner had various communications with Mutual
Bank’s Human Resources Department representative, Lana Schlabach. In
an email communication of October 15, 2007, Conner directly referenced
“Resentment over my mentioned discovery of the removal/replacement of
an appraisal review that I conducted. That appraisal review contained
substantial observations and suggestions. The transaction and parties
involved were high profile in the media.I am under the impression that
the FBI has since looked at the file.”” On October 23, 2007, eight days after Conner’s October 15, 2007 email to Schlabach attached as Exhibit J, Mutual Bank terminated Conner’s employment for pretextual reasons.” (Conner lawsuit)

6. “On October 23, 2007, eight days after Conner’s October 15, 2007
email to Schlabach attached as Exhibit J, Mutual Bank terminated
Conner’s employment for pretextual reasons.” (Conner lawsuit)

7. The FDIC has filed a lawsuit against Mutual Bank, Amrish Mahajan, Richard Barth, et al.”

https://citizenwells.wordpress.com/2011/11/01/fdic-mutual-bank-lawsuit-reveals-rezko-obama-corruption-kenneth-j-conner-lawsuit-amrish-mahajan-richard-barth-where-did-rezkos-get-the-money/

From ABC News Chicago August 22, 2011.

“Anita Mahajan, a Chicago businesswoman with ties to former governor Rod Blagojevich, pleaded guilty to bilking the state of Illinois by submitting bogus bills.

“I’m sorry,” Mahajan said in court Monday while pleading guilty to felony theft for pilfering about $100,000 in taxpayer money through her drug-testing company, K.K. Bio-Science. That company is now defunct.

The 60-year-old received four years of probation, agreed to pay $200,000 in fines and perform 1,500 hours of community service.

Mahajan’s husband, Amrish, was a banker and significant fundraiser for Blagojevich. Also, Blagojevich’s wife, Patti, made more than $100,000 in commissions handling real estate deals for the Mahajans in 2006, which caused a stir in the Blagojevich re-election campaign. The following year, Mahajan was charged with cheating the state of out of $2 million for drug tests that were never performed.

“People of this state were being cheated,” Dick Devine said in 2007 when he was the state’s attorney while announcing a seven-count indictment against Mahajan. The attorney general sued to recover the state’s lost money.

Four years later, Mahajan pleaded guilty to a single, reduced charge of theft instead of the felonies that would have sent her to prison for at least six years.

“Anita Mahajan is another example of the collateral damage that’s been left in the wake of the Rod Blagojevich Tsunami,” Steve Miller, Mahajan’s attorney, said.””

http://abclocal.go.com/wls/story?section=news/local&id=8320596&rss=rss-wls-article-8320596

From the FDIC lawsuit against Amrish Mahajan, et al.

“6. The Director Defendants also wasted corporate assets and drained the Bank’s capital by…(c) authorizing $ 495,000 in “bonuses” to pay for the criminal defense costs for the Defendant Amrish Mahajan’s wife who was indicted for Medicaid fraud”

“32. The Director and Officer Defendants failed to establish procedures that would have lessened the risks of the Bank’s improvidant lending practices. The terms of transactions were not accurately documented. Status reports were missing so that records of how an asset was progressing were not available. Terms of loans were changed at closing without board or loan committee approvals or any rcord in the file. Loan guarantees were frequently missing from the files. Appraisers were retained by brokers with an interest in seeing transactions consummated, not by the bank. Appraisals were often received after the loan was funded. Loans were typically non-recourse and dependent on guarantor abilities to repay in the event that the collateral was insufficient. Yet, little or no attention was paid to whether guarantors had sufficient liquidity to protect the Bank’s interest; the officers and the Board did little or no analysis of guarantor or borrower financial strength.”

http://www.courthousenews.com/2011/10/26/FDIC.pdf

From the Washington Times November 4, 2008.

“A former Illinois real estate specialist says FBI agents have questioned him about a Chicago property that had been bought by convicted felon Tony Rezko’s wife and later sold to the couple’s next-door neighbor, Sen. Barack Obama.

The real estate specialist, Kenneth J. Conner, said bank officials replaced an appraisal review he prepared on the property and FBI agents were investigating in late 2007 whether the Rezko-Obama deal was proper.

“Agents and I talked about payoff, bribe, kickback for a long time, though it took them only a short number of minutes of talking with me while looking at the appraisal to acknowledge what they already seemed to know: The Rezko lot was grossly overvalued,” Mr. Conner told The Washington Times Monday.

“Rezko paid the asking price on the same day Obama paid $300,000 less than the asking price to the same seller for his adjacent mansion,” he said. “This begs the question of payoff, bribe, kickback.””

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2008/nov/04/fbi-asked-questions-on-rezko-land-deal/

Obama’s Rezko problem is not going away.

 

 

 

 

Rod Blagojevich prosecution and appeal reach critical mass in election cycles, Sentence overturned or shortened?, Obama pardon?, Obama being protected how long?, Will Blagojevich keep quiet?

Rod Blagojevich prosecution and appeal reach critical mass in election cycles, Sentence overturned or shortened?, Obama pardon?, Obama being protected how long?, Will Blagojevich keep quiet?

“Why wasn’t Rod Blagojevich, Governor of IL, prosecuted before Tony Rezko, a businessman?”…Citizen Wells

“I believe I’m more pristine on Rezko than him.”…Rod Blagojevich

“Regardless of how this plays out, it benefits Obama. If there is no appeal or the appeal is denied, Blagojevich will be sequestered. If the appeal proceeds, it could drag out beyond impacting the 2012 election cycle. The intent is obvious.”…Citizen Wells, July 19, 2011

 

 

I told you this would happen.

Am I a psychic?

No.

2 + 2 = 4.

The Blagojevich Administration came under investigation by late 2003.

Rod Blagojevich should have been arrested at least by 2007 if Patrick Fitzgerald, et al were indeed concerned about the citizens of Illinois.

Instead they waited until after the 2008 election to protect Obama.

Obama et al were protected in the 2008 election cycle, 2010, 2012 and now we are well into the 2014 election cycle.

Why is this important?

Obama is under much scrutiny.

His eligibility and performance are being challenged.

If Obama loses control of both houses of congress, he is in trouble.

Blagojevich knows a lot about Obama and his ties to Rezko.

Obama is safe as long as Blagojevich is in prison and believes that his sentence will be overturned or pardoned.

If Blagojevich’s sentence is not overturned soon or greatly reduced, he will be forced to decide whether to talk or not.

Obama is the only person who could or would pardon Blagojevich.

Obama can only do this if he stays in office.

Rod Blagojevich has a lot to think about.

 

 

(To learn more about this, search on Blagojevich at this site)

 

Obama Rezko Blagojevich Levine Mahru and a host of Chicago corruption cronies, Rezko evidentiary proffer, Obama and Mahru mentioned in proffer, Chicago corruption individuals A to Z

Obama Rezko Blagojevich Levine Mahru and a host of Chicago corruption cronies, Rezko evidentiary proffer, Obama and Mahru mentioned in proffer,  Chicago corruption individuals A to Z

“There is enough corruption in Illinois so that all it takes is someone who is serious about finding it to uncover it. If a U.S. attorney is not finding corruption in Illinois, they’re not seriously looking for it.”…Northwestern Law Professor James Lindgren

“I believe I’m more pristine on Rezko than him.”…Rod Blagojevich

“And if all others accepted the lie which the Party imposed
–if all records told the same tale–then the lie passed into
history and became truth. “Who controls the past,” ran the
Party slogan, “controls the future: who controls the present
controls the past.”…George Orwell, “1984″

 

 

 

The strangest thing happened (ha ha).

I began discovering Obama’s past very early in 2008 just as Obama was gaining prominence in the Democrat primaries and the Tony Rezko trial was beginning.

I learned much from articles written in the Chicago area going back to 2004 and earlier and even the Boston Globe.

I delved in to the Rezko legal documents including the superceding indictment and trial transcripts.

It did not take long to discern the depths of Obama’s entanglement with Rezko, Levine, Blagojevich and even Rezko’s business partner Daniel Mahru.

Very soon, as I observed articles, documents, videos and photos being scrubbed or withheld from public view on the internet, I made it a practice to not only quote documents, but to save them.

I was recently following up on Daniel Mahru and found references to Mahru as “Individual Z” in my notes and articles from 2007. However, I did not find “Individual Z” in my collection of USDOJ documents.

I did not have a copy of the Rezko Evidentiary Proffer from 2007.

After much searching, I found a copy of the proffer and uploaded it to Scribd.

It is very interesting.

Obama and Daniel Mahru have more in common than being tied to long time Chicago corruption and cronies and meeting regularly at Rezko’s business Rezmar location for years, they are both referred to in the Rezko Evidentiary Proffer.

Maybe that is why the proffer was so difficult to find?

From the Chicago SunTimes January 20, 2008.

“Obama surfaces in Rekzo’s federal corruption case
Source confirmed Obama is the unnamed “political candidate” referred to in document which outlines case against Rezko”

“The allegations against Rezko that involve Obama are contained in one paragraph of a 78-page document filed last month in which prosecutors outline their corruption and fraud case against Rezko, who was also a key money man for Gov. Blagojevich and other politicians.

Rezko is set to go to trial Feb. 25. The revelation that Obama’s name could come up in court is a political headache he doesn’t need as he heads into a round of primaries that are likely to determine his party’s nomination for president.

Obama is not named in the Dec. 21 court document. But a source familiar with the case confirmed that Obama is the unnamed “political candidate” referred to in a section of the document that accuses Rezko of orchestrating a scheme in which a firm hired to handle state teacher pension investments first had to pay $250,000 in “sham” finder’s fees. From that money, $10,000 was donated to Obama’s successful run for the Senate in the name of a Rezko business associate, according to the court filing and the source.

Rezko, who was part of Obama’s senatorial finance committee, also is accused of directing “at least one other individual” to donate money to Obama and then reimbursing that individual — in possible violation of federal election law.”

Read more:

http://www.suntimes.com/news/politics/obama/749138,obama20web.article

(You will probably have to use the WayBack Machine)

Evelyn Pringle, “Operation Board games for Slum Lords”

“Rezko’s partner in the Rezmar development company, Daniel Mahru, is referred to as “Individual Z” in the indictment, and according to court filings, Rezko told Mahru that “$500 million” of TRS money was earmarked for their company. Mahru is reportedly cooperating with federal investigators.”

“In addition to lining their own pockets, the money gained through the scheme was funneled to the campaigns of Blagojevich and Obama. Prosecutors have identified two $10,000 payments that were made to Obama’s US Senate campaign through straw donors Joseph Aramanda and Elie Maloof, which originated from a kickback paid by investment firm, Glencoe Capital, to secure approval for a $50 million deal.”