CHICAGO — Former state senator Tom Cullerton was sentenced Tuesday to a year in federal prison.
Cullerton, 52, of Villa Park, fraudulently received nearly $250,000 from the Teamsters Local Union 734 union and admitted to doing little to no work. He was ordered to pay that back in restitution. So far, $26,000 has been paid.
Cullerton pleaded guilty earlier this year to a federal embezzlement charge and resigned his position as a senator.
When his supervisors requested that he perform his job duties, Cullerton routinely ignored them, prosecutors said.
Cullerton admitted that he used the embezzled money to pay personal expenses, such as his mortgage, utilities, and groceries.
He is ordered to report to prison on Sept. 13.