McCormick Place manager took kickbacks from snowplow firm that racked up bogus charges, feds say
A supervisor at McCormick Place was arrested on federal fraud charges for allegedly taking kickbacks on inflated bills for snow removal work at the lakefront convention center.Charges unsealed Wednesday allege McCormick Place operations manager Dominick Gironda, 54, and snowplow contractor James Sansone, 38, arranged for other contractors to overcharge for snow removal, with Gironda signing off on the bogus invoices and Sansone serving as an intermediary for kickbacks from the plowing companies.The scheme netted Gironda and Sansone $26,700 between 2022 and 2024, according to charging documents. Sansone told the contractors what to charge, and how much would be paid to himself and Gironda in text messages — payouts that Sansone referred to as "bottles of wine."Sansone was related to two contractors, identified only as "Individual A" and "Individual C," according to the indictment. A third contractor was identified as "Individual B."The indictment lists three payouts that were mailed to a Tinley Park post office box for Individual B's company: a check for $26,400 mailed in February 2023; another for $22,040 in March; and a final check for $41,730 in February 2024. The indictment does not state what share of those totals was fraudulent, or what percentage was paid to Gironda and Sansone.The three counts of mail fraud carry a sentence of up to 20 years in prison if convicted. Sansone, of Batavia, and Gironda, of Bloomingdale, were arrested Wednesday morning and were expected to make an initial appearance this afternoon in front of U.S. Magistrate Judge Sheila M. Finnegan.
A supervisor at McCormick Place was arrested on federal fraud charges for allegedly taking kickbacks on inflated bills for snow removal work at the lakefront convention center.
Charges unsealed Wednesday allege McCormick Place operations manager Dominick Gironda, 54, and snowplow contractor James Sansone, 38, arranged for other contractors to overcharge for snow removal, with Gironda signing off on the bogus invoices and Sansone serving as an intermediary for kickbacks from the plowing companies.
The scheme netted Gironda and Sansone $26,700 between 2022 and 2024, according to charging documents. Sansone told the contractors what to charge, and how much would be paid to himself and Gironda in text messages — payouts that Sansone referred to as "bottles of wine."
Sansone was related to two contractors, identified only as "Individual A" and "Individual C," according to the indictment. A third contractor was identified as "Individual B."
The indictment lists three payouts that were mailed to a Tinley Park post office box for Individual B's company: a check for $26,400 mailed in February 2023; another for $22,040 in March; and a final check for $41,730 in February 2024. The indictment does not state what share of those totals was fraudulent, or what percentage was paid to Gironda and Sansone.
The three counts of mail fraud carry a sentence of up to 20 years in prison if convicted.
Sansone, of Batavia, and Gironda, of Bloomingdale, were arrested Wednesday morning and were expected to make an initial appearance this afternoon in front of U.S. Magistrate Judge Sheila M. Finnegan.
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