Category Archives: Press Releases

The former head of a non-profit social service organization pled guilty today in Cook County Circuit Court to one count of felony theft of government funds. Patti Buffington, 51, of Chicago was arrested in October 2006 and charged for the misappropriation of city, state, and federal funds provided to Genesis House – an organization that […]

Members of the City Council voted unanimously to confirm Joseph Ferguson as the new Inspector General of the City of Chicago. Ferguson takes the position after spending more than 15 years in the United States Attorney’s Office, most recently serving as Chief of the Money Laundering and Forfeiture Section. He had worked previously in that […]

The Inspector General’s Office (OIG) for the City of Chicago filed an action in the Chancery Division of the Circuit Court of Cook County, Illinois, to enforce a subpoena for documents that OIG served on the City’s Department of Law. OIG took this step because the Law Department has not complied with OIG’s subpoena, and […]

A City of Chicago zoning inspector has pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit bribery. In exchange for his cooperation, federal prosecutors are recommending that William Wellhausen be sentenced to 15 months in prison and pay fines totaling more than $33,000.

A criminal complaint has been unsealed against Michael Cease, an inspector in the City of Chicago’s Department of Environment. Cease is charged with federal bribery for allegedly accepting two cash bribe payments totaling $1,150 in September. The 39-year-old was arrested following an investigation by the City of Chicago Inspector General’s Office and the FBI.

A City of Chicago building inspector was arrested and charged in a federal criminal complaint for allegedly accepting cash bribes. The complaint alleges Dominick Owens took more than $20,000 in bribes. In return for delivering Certificates of Occupancy for numerous construction projects.