Jon Seidel

It’s unclear what prompted the departure of Assistant U.S. Attorney Amarjeet Bhachu. The news comes in the early days of President Donald Trump’s new administration, but also less than three weeks after a jury found Madigan guilty of a bribery conspiracy and other crimes.

U.S. District Judge Manish Shah left intact the conspiracy conviction and other counts against the four defendants, convicted of an illegal effort to influence former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan as ComEd legislation moved through Springfield.

Since July 2021, Austin has faced a bribery indictment accusing her of taking home improvement materials such as sump pumps, a dehumidifier and kitchen cabinets as kickbacks from a developer overseeing a $50 million development in her ward.

The Peoria Republican also noted that the Northern District of Illinois has gone more than 22 months without a confirmed U.S. attorney.

The charges against Robert “Bobby” Dominic are the latest tied to the legally gray area of sweepstakes machines, unregulated and largely untaxed thanks to loopholes in Illinois’ gaming laws.

A federal jury found Donald “Lil’ Don” Lee and Torance “Blackie” Benson guilty of a racketeering conspiracy in November 2022 and held them responsible for multiple murders and attempted murders. The men could get a new trial, which could prompt a death penalty review.

Defense attorneys are pointing to a Feb. 10 executive order from President Donald Trump pausing enforcement of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. The president’s order says the law’s use has been “stretched beyond proper bounds and abused in a manner that harms the interests of the United States.”

Jurors found Madigan guilty of 10 counts against him and not guilty of seven others, including a charge of racketeering conspiracy. The jury reached no verdict on six other counts he faced.

The verdict capped an unpredictable four-month trial that gave jurors an up-front and uncensored look at the practice of behind-the-scenes politics in Chicago and Illinois in the previous decade.

Madigan and his longtime ally, Michael McClain, are on trial for a racketeering conspiracy. Jurors are expected to resume deliberations Monday morning.