Feds: Rezko steered money to Blago's wife

[BlueJessamine]

Feds: Rezko steered money to Blago's wife

Chicago Sun-Times

A key part of former Gov. Rod Blagojevich's criminal indictment describes how crooked businessman Tony Rezko steered real estate deals to Blagojevich's wife -- a price Rezko paid to wield clout within the Blagojevich administration, according to federal prosecutors.

Two of the three deals appear to have been fairly straightforward. They involved Rezko properties for which Patti Blagojevich, a real estate broker, was paid fees that were supposed to have been for her work -- but which prosecutors say were really to curry favor with her husband.

But the other deal was different. It involved a West Loop building that Rezko appears to have had nothing to do with.

"In or about January 2004," the indictment says, "Rezko directed to Rod Blagojevich's wife a payment of $40,000, purportedly for brokerage services in connection with the sale of property at 1101 West Lake Street" even though Patti Blagojevich "had provided few, if any, services in relation to that sale."

Prosecutors don't say how Rezko -- a former top campaign fund-raiser and adviser for the ex-governor -- was linked to the property. Public records don't list him as a buyer or seller. Nor is there any real estate listing for the building with Patti Blagojevich's name on it.

Here's what records do show:



http://www.suntimes.com/news/watchdogs/1523727,CST-NWS-watchdog13.article