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July 4th, 2021 
Awake Goy 
Accused of accepting bribes in
exchange for political favors, a Chicago Alderman and her chief of staff were
indicted Thursday on federal bribery charges. The chief of staff was also charged
in a separate scheme to purchase Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program
(SNAP) benefits at a discount.
According to the indictment,
Chicago Alderman Carrie Austin and her chief of staff, Chester Wilson Jr.,
conspired with construction contractors offering to provide free home
improvements for assistance in acquiring city development projects between 2016
and 2019. Both Austin and Wilson allegedly abused their positions by accepting
bribes, including free home improvement materials, home improvement services,
furniture, and appliances.
Between December 2016 and February
2019, multiple text messages and emails recorded conversations between the
public officials and the contractors with requests for kitchen cabinets,
bathroom tiles, granite countertops, etc. in exchange for help obtaining city
development projects. Both Austin and Wilson allegedly made illicit requests
for home improvement materials and services at properties owned by each of
them.
Questioned by FBI agents on June
19, 2019, Austin allegedly gave false statements when she denied receiving
bribes from the contractors. Austin only admitted to receiving a cake from one
of the contractors.
Accused in a separate scheme to buy
SNAP benefits at a discount, Wilson allegedly paid cash to a SNAP recipient in
an amount below the face value of the card. Due to his city salary, Wilson is
not eligible for SNAP benefits.
On Thursday, Austin was charged
with one count of conspiring to use interstate facilities to promote bribery,
two counts of using interstate facilities to promote bribery, and one count of
willfully making materially false statements to the FBI. Wilson was charged
with one count of conspiring to use interstate facilities to promote bribery,
two counts of using interstate facilities to promote bribery, and one count of
theft of government funds.
Austin is now one of three
sitting members of the City Council under federal indictment, along with Ed
Burke and Patrick Daley Thompson. Burke was indicted on racketeering
and bribery charges, while Thompson was charged with filing false
tax returns and lying to Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. (FDIC) officials.
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