Edward M. Burke, the longest-serving City Council member in Chicago history, has been found guilty of racketeering, bribery, and attempted extortion. Burke used his position to steer business to his law firm and was involved in four corruption schemes. He faces significant prison time when sentenced in June. Developer Charles Cui, on trial with Burke, was also found guilty, while an aide to Burke, Peter Andrews, was found not guilty. The verdict comes after a five-year public corruption investigation that shook Chicago's political landscape.
Cardinal Angelo Becciu, a former adviser to the Pope, has been sentenced to five and a half years in prison after being found guilty of fraud and embezzlement. He is the most senior Catholic Church official ever to stand trial before a Vatican criminal court. The trial, which lasted for two-and-a-half years, exposed infighting and intrigue within the Vatican and revolved around the purchase of a building in London by the secretariat of state. Several other defendants were also convicted, including Italian financier Raffaele Mincione and financier Gianluigi Torzi. The Vatican sold the building last year, incurring an estimated loss of about 140 million euros.
Former Chicago Alderman Danny Solis agreed to work with the FBI after being presented with evidence in 2016, leading to the recordings that helped indict former City Council member Edward M. Burke on racketeering charges. The FBI initially targeted Solis in connection with then-Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan, but Solis also provided information for a separate racketeering case against Madigan. Solis, who left office in 2019, struck a deal with prosecutors to potentially avoid a conviction. Defense attorneys for Burke, who is currently on trial, have called Solis a prime example of corruption but prosecutors do not plan to call him as a witness.
Former San Francisco Public Utilities Commission chief Harlan Kelly has been convicted on six of eight charges related to bribery and corruption in the city's government. Kelly was accused of accepting bribes from construction contractor Walter Wong in exchange for helping him win a contract to update city streetlights. The corruption scandal has ensnared several city officials and contractors, including Mayor's Office Fix-It team head Sandra Zuniga and former Department of Building Inspection director Tom Hui. Kelly's conviction marks a milestone in the San Francisco corruption scandal, shedding light on a system of influence that has long been whispered about.
