Madigan’s son got $43,000 under what feds call part of criminal enterprise: ‘Give Andrew something’
Former Illinois House Speaker Michael J. Madigan’s son made $43,000 in three years after his insurance company landed a Pilsen social service agency as a client, jurors were told Wednesday, in a deal federal prosecutors have linked to Madigan’s alleged racketeering conspiracy.It’s the first time prosecutors have specifically alleged that Andrew Madigan profited from the scheme outlined in Michael Madigan’s sweeping 117-page indictment. Now, the Southwest Side Democrat's son has been added to a roster of beneficiaries jurors have heard about in a trial that has lasted two months.There are signs that the trial could be nearing a conclusion, though. Assistant U.S. Attorney Amarjeet Bhachu told the judge Wednesday that prosecutors could rest their case against Michael Madigan as soon as next week. Whether the trial then stretches into January could depend on defense attorneys, who will have a chance to present their own evidence next.Before that happens, Bhachu disclosed that the remaining witnesses could include U.S. Rep. Nikki Budzinski, a Downstate Democrat. The sitting member of Congress is a former aide to Gov. JB Pritzker. The feds have long said they planned to call on two members of his staff, and testimony Wednesday suggested Budzinski is one of them.Michael Madigan, who resigned from office in 2021, is accused of leading a criminal enterprise designed to enhance his political power and reward his allies. His longtime associate, Michael McClain, is on trial alongside him and is accused of acting as an agent of the enterprise. Trial highlights Trial highlightsJurors heard that Michael Madigan’s son made $43,000 in a deal connected to the racketeering conspiracy.Prosecutors intend to call U.S. Rep. Nikki Budzinski to testify next week.•The feds say they might rest their case against Madigan next week. Others who have allegedly benefitted from it include former Alds. Frank Olivo and Michael R. Zalewski, former Cook County Recorder of Deeds Edward Moody, former state Rep. Edward “Eddie” Acevedo, longtime Michael Madigan campaign worker Raymond Nice, political operative Victor Reyes and businessman Juan Ochoa.Only Acevedo has been charged, serving a six-month prison sentence in a spin-off tax evasion prosecution. Likewise, Andrew Madigan has not been accused of wrongdoing. He could not be reached for comment Wednesday.The day's developments revolved around one of five schemes outlined in Madigan’s indictment. It allegedly took place in 2018 and early 2019 and involved then-Chicago Ald. Danny Solis, who was the City Council’s Zoning Committee chair at the time.‘There’s one thing you can do’Prosecutors say Michael Madigan took advantage of Solis’ position to steer work to his private tax appeals law firm, Madigan & Getzendanner. Related Danny Solis leaves witness stand in Madigan’s trial, 8 years after becoming FBI mole But Solis was secretly wearing a wire for the FBI. Jurors have heard how, on June 20, 2018, Solis asked for Michael Madigan’s help landing a paid seat on a government board as part of an FBI ruse. Soon after Solis made his request, Michael Madigan asked for Solis’ help connecting with the developer of Chicago’s Old Post Office, which straddles the Eisenhower Expressway.During a follow-up conversation about the board seat on Aug. 2, 2018, Solis promised the speaker “I’m gonna help you.” Michael Madigan replied, “don’t worry about it.” Former Ald. Danny Solis walks into the Dirksen Federal Courthouse last month.Anthony Vazquez/Sun-Times But moments later, Michael Madigan told him, “there’s one thing you can do.”Holding up a business card, he said, “you got Andrew a meeting with, is it?”Solis said, “The Resurrection Project."It was a business card for Andrew Madigan at Alliant/Mesirow Insurance Services. The name of the not-for-profit “Resurrection Project” was written on the back.“And after the meeting, you know, Andrew tried to follow up. And never … never got returned calls,” Michael Madigan said.Solis promised to reach out.“Just ask him, ‘Give Andrew something … Give him a chance to show what he, what he can do,’” Michael Madigan said.
Former Illinois House Speaker Michael J. Madigan’s son made $43,000 in three years after his insurance company landed a Pilsen social service agency as a client, jurors were told Wednesday, in a deal federal prosecutors have linked to Madigan’s alleged racketeering conspiracy.
It’s the first time prosecutors have specifically alleged that Andrew Madigan profited from the scheme outlined in Michael Madigan’s sweeping 117-page indictment. Now, the Southwest Side Democrat's son has been added to a roster of beneficiaries jurors have heard about in a trial that has lasted two months.
There are signs that the trial could be nearing a conclusion, though. Assistant U.S. Attorney Amarjeet Bhachu told the judge Wednesday that prosecutors could rest their case against Michael Madigan as soon as next week. Whether the trial then stretches into January could depend on defense attorneys, who will have a chance to present their own evidence next.
Before that happens, Bhachu disclosed that the remaining witnesses could include U.S. Rep. Nikki Budzinski, a Downstate Democrat. The sitting member of Congress is a former aide to Gov. JB Pritzker. The feds have long said they planned to call on two members of his staff, and testimony Wednesday suggested Budzinski is one of them.
Michael Madigan, who resigned from office in 2021, is accused of leading a criminal enterprise designed to enhance his political power and reward his allies. His longtime associate, Michael McClain, is on trial alongside him and is accused of acting as an agent of the enterprise.
Others who have allegedly benefitted from it include former Alds. Frank Olivo and Michael R. Zalewski, former Cook County Recorder of Deeds Edward Moody, former state Rep. Edward “Eddie” Acevedo, longtime Michael Madigan campaign worker Raymond Nice, political operative Victor Reyes and businessman Juan Ochoa.
Only Acevedo has been charged, serving a six-month prison sentence in a spin-off tax evasion prosecution. Likewise, Andrew Madigan has not been accused of wrongdoing. He could not be reached for comment Wednesday.
The day's developments revolved around one of five schemes outlined in Madigan’s indictment. It allegedly took place in 2018 and early 2019 and involved then-Chicago Ald. Danny Solis, who was the City Council’s Zoning Committee chair at the time.
‘There’s one thing you can do’
Prosecutors say Michael Madigan took advantage of Solis’ position to steer work to his private tax appeals law firm, Madigan & Getzendanner.
But Solis was secretly wearing a wire for the FBI. Jurors have heard how, on June 20, 2018, Solis asked for Michael Madigan’s help landing a paid seat on a government board as part of an FBI ruse. Soon after Solis made his request, Michael Madigan asked for Solis’ help connecting with the developer of Chicago’s Old Post Office, which straddles the Eisenhower Expressway.
During a follow-up conversation about the board seat on Aug. 2, 2018, Solis promised the speaker “I’m gonna help you.” Michael Madigan replied, “don’t worry about it.”
But moments later, Michael Madigan told him, “there’s one thing you can do.”
Holding up a business card, he said, “you got Andrew a meeting with, is it?”
Solis said, “The Resurrection Project."
It was a business card for Andrew Madigan at Alliant/Mesirow Insurance Services. The name of the not-for-profit “Resurrection Project” was written on the back.
“And after the meeting, you know, Andrew tried to follow up. And never … never got returned calls,” Michael Madigan said.
Solis promised to reach out.
“Just ask him, ‘Give Andrew something … Give him a chance to show what he, what he can do,’” Michael Madigan said.
Michael Madigan, center, is sworn in as state House speaker by Illinois Appellate Courtr Judge Alan J. Greiman as Madigan’s family stands by his side at in Springfield in 2007. From left are daughter Lisa Madigan, son Andrew Madigan, daughter Nicole Madigan and wife, Shirley Madigan.
Justin L. Fowler/State Journal-Register via AP
In a follow-up call the next day, Solis told Michael Madigan he had spoken to a representative of the organization.
“He’ll set up a meeting with Andy, and I’ll be there,” Solis said.
On Wednesday, prosecutors called Alliant Insurance executive Jennifer Gavelek to the witness stand. She testified that she’d attended a meeting with her colleague, Andrew Madigan, and an executive with The Resurrection Project in October 2019.
As a result of that meeting, she said, Alliant signed the agency up as a client.
Gavelek also walked through a chart with Bhachu that essentially identified Andrew Madigan as the “finder” of The Resurrection Project’s insurance policy. She said it indicated that Andrew Madigan made $43,000 between 2019 and 2021 as a result of the deal.
She also said his payments have continued in the years since.
Congresswoman Budzinski to testify
Meanwhile, Solis connected Michael Madigan with Old Post Office developer Harry Skydell, who told Michael Madigan on Sept. 4, 2018, that he’d be happy to begin a business relationship with Madigan & Getzendanner.
However, the alleged scheme was interrupted in January 2019 when the Chicago Sun-Times revealed that Solis had been making undercover recordings for the FBI. He never landed on a state board seat.
Jurors still heard Wednesday how Michael Madigan continued to make board recommendations to Pritzker through July 2019, though. The speaker’s former chief of staff, Jessica Basham, testified about emails and memos in which she passed the recommendations on to Budzinski and Anne Caprara, Pritzker’s chief of staff.
Bhachu told the judge that he expected Budzinski to testify Monday morning, and he explained that prosecutors have tried to schedule her testimony around votes in Congress.
A Springfield Democrat, she was first elected to the 13th Congressional District seat in 2022.
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