Stuart Levine’s ruse of innocence could last only so long. The Chicago businessman and former board member of the Illinois Teachers Retirement System (TRS) pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court on October 27, 2006 to charges of mail fraud and money-laundering in connection with kickbacks of retirement funds of active and retired teachers outside the city of Chicago. Levine had been indicted in August 2005 on 13 counts of wire fraud, mail fraud, soliciting a bribe, and attempted extortion. He allegedly conspired with several other persons, including Tony Rezko, a top fundraiser to current Illinois Democratic Governor Rod Blagojevich, to obtain control over lucrative union-sponsored contracts, requiring that firms seeking to do business with the TRS pension fund and the Illinois Health Facilities Planning Board pay kickbacks to ensure approval of their applications.
From a public relations standpoint, getting forced out of the Illinois governor's mansion a year and a half ago was a smart career move for Rod Blagojevich. He's been all over the TV since, doing stints on such shows as "Celebrity Apprentice" and "The Late Show with David Letterman." But publicity may not be enough to keep him or several of his former allies out of prison. His long-awaited trial on fraud and conspiracy charges related to his attempt to sell Barack Obama's pending Senate vacancy to the highest bidder began on June 8, the result of a five-year Justice Department probe into corruption in Chicago politics. Prosecutors wrapped up their case just before 5 P.M. Tuesday. Evidence introduced thus far confirms widespread suspicions that former Gov. Blagojevich and his benefactors were part of a larger Chicago-Obama White House conduit.
