CHICAGO — Do you want to know if your alderman has been charged with a crime? There’s a website that helps Chicagoans figure that out.

The website hasmyaldermanbeenindicted.com lets you type in your address and will tell you if your ward’s alderman has been charged with a crime. The website was launched in 2019, by the South Side journalism lab City Bureau, but on Thursday Ald. Patrick Daley Thompson (11th Ward) and former Ald. Ricardo Munoz (22nd Ward) were both indicted — bringing renewed attention to the site.

Thompson, 51, was charged with making false statements and filing a false income-tax return. Thompson is the grandson of former Mayor Richard J. Daley and the nephew of former Mayor Richard M. Daley.


Ald. Patrick Daley Thompson indicted on federal bank fraud charges

Thompson allegedly made one payment on a $110,000 loan and never paid the rest back, according to the indictment. He has served as an alderman since 2015.

Also Thursday, prosecutors allege Munoz, 56, used campaign money while in office to pay a relative’s college tuition and other personal expenses, including jewelry, clothing, cell phones, vacations, sports tickets and airline tickets. 


Former Ald. Ricardo Munoz indicted for fraud; allegedly used political funds for personal expenses

Prosecutors allege Munoz attempted to hide the fraud scheme by making “materially false representations” to the Illinois State Board of Elections and staff members and contractors of the CPRC, the indictment revealed.

Munoz, 56, is charged with 15 counts of wire fraud and one count of money laundering.  

Corruption in Chicago politics has a long history. The Chicago Tribune reported that over 30 city aldermen have pleaded guilty or have been convicted of crimes related to their official duties since 1972.



More Chicago News headlines from WGN

Read More

By

Leave a Reply

%d bloggers like this: