Illinois Quick Hits: Ex-Chicago housing director indicted in alleged kickback scheme

Illinois Quick Hits: Ex-Chicago housing director indicted in alleged kickback scheme

Spread the love

(The Center Square) – A former Chicago Housing Authority property director is accused of steering more than $4.8 million in city business to a construction company in exchange for more than $421,000 in kickbacks.

Ryan Ross, 50, of Bolingbrook and Vanessa Rhodes, 47, of Chicago are both charged with eight counts of honest services fraud.

A federal indictment accused Ross of receiving the kickbacks in 2023 and 2024 from Rhodes, who owns a Chicago company that did business as Twenty Eleven Construction, Inc.

ONE OF FBI’S MOST WANTED SENTENCED FOR MACHINE GUN POSSESSION

A Belleville man who was on the FBI’s Most Wanted list has been sentenced to nine years in federal prison for possessing a machine gun.

Dontay Moore, 23, is facing state charges in St. Louis for other offenses, including his alleged involvement in a drive-by shooting that resulted in serious injuries to bystanders.

Prosecutors say his federal sentence will be in addition to any sentence imposed in state court. Moore was arrested by Illinois State Police in September 2025.

ICE-INVOLVED CRASH REPORTED IN CHICAGO

A pursuit reportedly involving federal immigration law enforcement officers ended in a crash on Chicago’s Northwest Side.

WGN-TV reports that the incident came to a halt around 11 a.m. on Tuesday in the 3800 block of North Olcott Avenue.

A witness said several unmarked vehicles followed a red Lexus and appeared to strike the Lexus before it crashed into a tree. Another witness said he later saw a man being escorted from the scene.

REPORT: THOUSANDS DROP OBAMACARE IN ILLINOIS

More than 92,000 Illinois consumers have lost or dropped Affordable Care Act health insurance in recent months.

The Chicago Tribune reports that the unusually large decline followed the expiration of tax credits that had helped to curb the plans’ costs.

Last month, Democrats on the Joint Economic Committee estimated that 120,825 people in Illinois would lose health insurance due to the ACA cuts proposed by President Donald Trump and congressional Republicans.

Leave a Comment





Latest News Stories

Screenshot 2025-11-06 at 4.17.15 PM

Federal Lobbyists Brief Will County on Government Shutdown, Warn of SNAP and TSA Disruptions

Meeting Summary and Briefs: Will County Legislative Committee for November 4, 2025 Article Summary: Will County’s federal lobbyists reported that the ongoing government shutdown, now the longest in U.S. history, is...
Screenshot 2025-11-05 at 4.02.49 PM

Will County Committee Advances Gougar Road Bridge Project with Over $540,000 in Agreements

Will County Public Works & Transportation Committee Meeting | November 2025 Article Summary: The Will County Board approved two key agreements for the Gougar Road bridge project in New Lenox,...
Will County Logo Graphic

Commission Approves Mokena-Area Garage Variance Over Village’s Objection

Will County Planning and Zoning Commission Meeting | November 4, 2025 Article Summary: The Will County Planning and Zoning Commission approved a variance for a new garage in unincorporated Frankfort Township...
Peotone-Junior-High-School-scaled-1

Residents Clash on School Funding, Citing Low Tax Rate vs. “Wasteful” Spending at Committee Meeting

Peotone School Board Committee of the Whole Meeting | October 27, 2025 Article SummaryThe Peotone School Board heard conflicting public perspectives on its long-standing financial crisis, with one resident presenting...
Joliet-Junior-college.-Graphic-Logo.4

JJC Receives Surprise $1.9 Million from IRS Employee Retention Credit

Joliet Junior College Board of Trustees Meeting | October 15, 2025 Article SummaryJoliet Junior College has received an unexpected $1.9 million windfall from the federal Employee Retention Credit (ERC), a...
Joliet-Junior-college.-Graphic-Logo.2

JJC Advances ERP Modernization with New Vendor and Two-Year Budget

Joliet Junior College Board of Trustees Meeting | October 15, 2025 Article SummaryJoliet Junior College is entering the next phase of its Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system overhaul, with the...
Screenshot 2025-11-06 at 4.17.02 PM

Will County Committee Shapes 2026 Legislative Agendas on Housing, Energy, and Health

Meeting Summary and Briefs: Will County Legislative Committee for November 4, 2025 Article Summary: The Will County Legislative Committee advanced key priorities for its 2026 state and federal legislative agendas, focusing...
Joliet-Junior-college.-Graphic-Logo.4

JJC Authorizes Land Buy for Grundy County Expansion, Secures Site in Morris

Joliet Junior College Board of Trustees Meeting | October 15, 2025 Article SummaryThe Joliet Junior College (JJC) Board of Trustees has authorized negotiations for a land acquisition to build a...
will county board graphic

Commission Grants Green Garden Solar Farm Project Variance Extension

Will County Planning and Zoning Commission Meeting | November 4, 2025 Article Summary: The Will County Planning and Zoning Commission granted a 180-day extension for two variances related to a commercial...
Screenshot 2025-11-06 at 7.52.36 AM

Peotone School Committee: Issue $4.85M Bond to Cover Deficit, Maxing Out Debt Capacity

Peotone School Board Committee of the Whole Meeting | October 27, 2025 Article SummaryPeotone School District 207-U is preparing to issue up to $4.85 million in working cash bonds to...
Will Dial-A-Ride Service

Will County Committee Advances Phased Takeover of Central Will Dial-A-Ride Service

Will County Public Works & Transportation Committee Meeting | November 2025 Article Summary: The Will County Board approved a five-year plan to consolidate the Central Will Dial-A-Ride service into its...
Everyday Economics: Rate cut debate: Reading mixed signals in a fragile economy

Everyday Economics: Rate cut debate: Reading mixed signals in a fragile economy

By Orphe DivounguyThe Center Square The Federal Reserve cut interest rates last week, but the decision was far from unanimous. Two members of the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) dissented...
Arizona looks to legal immigration with Trump's border security

Arizona looks to legal immigration with Trump’s border security

By Andrew RiceThe Center Square As President Trump approaches the one year mark in office, apprehensions at the southern border have dropped significantly. States along the southern border, including Texas,...
Ranchers decry beef imports from Argentina, expert says good start

Ranchers decry beef imports from Argentina, expert says good start

By Brett RowlandThe Center Square Consumers feeling the pang of high beef prices at the grocery store may see some relief from a plan to import beef from Argentina but...
Lawmakers introduce bills to slash their own pay during government shutdowns

Lawmakers introduce bills to slash their own pay during government shutdowns

By Thérèse BoudreauxThe Center Square With the ongoing government shutdown dragging on for a record-breaking period of time, U.S. lawmakers are introducing bills to make shutdowns as painful for Congress...