Jul 12, 2007 1:33 pm US/Central
Former Ald. Troutman Faces New Indictment
Authorities: Troutman Now Accused In Multiple Shakedowns
CHICAGO (AP) ―
-
-
Former Ald. Arenda Troutman (File)
CBS
A former Chicago alderman has been indicted on charges that she or one of her political committees took more than $60,000 in payoffs to help people get City Hall approval for projects.
Former South Side alderman Arenda Troutman was indicted Wednesday on 13 counts of extortion, bribery, mail fraud and income tax evasion.
She originally was charged with one count of bribery for allegedly taking $10,000 in payoffs from a developer who also was working as an FBI mole. She has pleaded not guilty.
The new federal indictment, released Thursday, adds allegations of multiple shakedowns between 2002 and 2007. Troutman is accused of using a corporation called the "20th Ward Women's Auxiliary" to conceal the payoffs.
The indictment alleges that Troutman used her position on the City Council to obtain "payments and other things of value from persons who were involved in real estate work, with the implicit and explicit understanding that, without such payments and other things of value, her support for land use requests, zoning changes, alley access, sale of City-owned real estate ... would either not be forthcoming or would be delayed."
Steven Boone, a former Troutman aide, and Vincent Gilbert, her former political adviser, also were charged in the new indictment. Boone faces four counts of bribery, mail fraud, and lying to the FBI, and Gilbert was charged with one count of extortion.
A message left by The Associated Press on Thursday morning for Troutman's attorney, Samuel E. Adam, was not immediately returned. He has previously told reporters that "there was nothing fraudulent going on."
Boone referred questions to his attorney, who did not return a message. There was no listing available for Gilbert.
Troutman was voted out of her 20th Ward seat in February.
(© 2007 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)
SLIDESHOW: Openly Gay Celebrities
Click to enlarge
Stumble It!
