Nov 3, 2008 6:58 pm US/Central
Former Ald. Vrdolyak Pleads Guilty In Scheme
'Fast Eddie' Charged With Bribery, Fraud In Kickback Scheme
CHICAGO (CBS) ―
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Former Ald. Ed Vrdolyak (File)
CBS
Ed Vrdolak is now a convicted felon. The former 10th ward alderman who led the anti-Harold Washington faction on the Chicago City Council in the 1980s entered a surprise guilty plea Monday to federal corruption charges.
Older at 70, grayer and slower, the man known as "Fast Eddie" felt his personal life, as well as his legal and political career, collapse. After cutting a deal with the feds, the former alderman and mayoral candidate pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire and mail fraud. He could spend years in prison after he's sentenced.
"The notion in Chicago that there are certain people who cannot or will not be held accountable took a serious hit today," U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald said.
The case prosecutors have brought against him involves what prosecutors describe as a single scheme: the $15 million sale of a Gold Coast property belonging to the former Chicago Medical School. His co-conspirator, the feds said, was GOP fundraiser and admitted thief and conman Stuart Levine. Prosecutors say Vrdolyak agreed to split a $1.5 million kickback with Levine, a board member for the school who'd agreed to persuade the board to sell the building to Smithfield Properties. Smithfield, in turn, agreed to pay Vrdolyak a 10 percent fee, or $1.5 million, according to prosecutors.
In court Monday, Judge Milton Shadur heard Vrdolyak's guilty plea.
Prosecutors said undercover audio tapes in which Levine and Vrdolyak discussed the scheme put pressure on the defendant to give in.
"We wouldn't be here with a case and the guilty plea without those recordings," Fitzgerald said.
Vrdolyak's attorney saw the decision differently.
"It's a tremendously stressful situation and puts an immense amount of pain on a family," Michael Monico said. "The fact that this brings closure to this case is very meaningful to the family."
Vrdolyak, who ran for mayor and lost in 1989, ducked news cameras and said nothing as he left the courtroom. He will be sentenced on January 9. He could face up to 41 months in prison and a $250,000 fine.
Vrdolyak grew up above a tavern on the city's Southeast Side. He was once chairman of the Cook County Democratic Party and led the bloc of 29 aldermen forces that battled the late Mayor Harold Washington during Chicago's "Council Wars" era in the 1980s. The conflict led a national publication to dub Chicago "Beirut on the Lake."
In a parody of Star Wars by comedian Aaron Freeman at the time, Vrdolyak was presented as "Lord Darth Vrdolyak," Washington as "Luke Skytalker."
Vrdolyak later switched parties and ran for mayor unsuccessfully as a Republican. He was also a key adviser to former Cicero Town President Betty Loren-Maltese, who was convicted in a scheme to loot the western suburb's treasury.
There was a time when he was a charismatic, powerful presence in Chicago politics. He showed none of that power or charisma as he stood Monday before the judge.
CBS 2's Mike Parker and Kristyn Hartman contributed to this report, as did the Sun-Times' Natasha Korecki, via the STNG Wire. The Associated press also contributed to this report.
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