After a challenging year, an employee at a Chicago tech startup decides to let loose with some friends at a bar on New Year’s Eve. He knows that the coronavirus deaths have topped 15,000 in Illinois and expects another six months of coronavirus-related lockdowns. Like many 30-somethings who are gainfully employed, he knows how lucky he is to have a good job. Many of his friends have been laid off due to COVID-19 shutdowns. He is aware of his tendency...

An Illinois grand jury indicted two Illinois men in separate fraud cases. The indictment alleges that the two men committed fraud connected to COVID-19 relief offered to businesses through the Small Business Administration. The first defendant allegedly applied for an emergency loan for his business, and provided a fake name for a company that does not, in fact, exist. He claimed on the loan application stated that his non-existent business employed 11 people and brought in gross revenue of $1.2...

An Iowa man recently pleaded guilty to embezzling over $120,000 from a homeowners association. The man used the funds to pay his mortgage payments on a condo part of the homeowners association. He also used the funds to pay his credit cards. Out of all embezzled funds, he paid nearly $20,000 toward his mortgage for his own personal condo unit. He pled guilty to a single count of wire fraud. During the hearing in federal district court, he admitted that...

The owner of a local soup and sandwich shop has gotten desperate. When Illinois governor Pritzker announced the first round of shutdowns, he wondered if his business could survive. He heard about the federal government Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and decided to take advantage of it. He is a hard-working businessman, but he has lost hope that the business will be able to survive the pandemic. He decided to fire his employees to use the PPP funds that should have...

An elderly couple has been staying at home to avoid becoming sick with COVID-19. They both have underlying health conditions and are concerned that they are at a greater risk. They have lived in the same house in a Chicago suburb for over 50 years, and most of their children have moved across the country. On Monday, they received an urgent cell phone call from someone pretending to be their grandchild. The person stated that he was in a serious...

Law enforcement officials have indicted a Chicago-area college professor on federal fraud charges. She allegedly embezzled over $650,000 from a student organization focused on improving the representation of minority pharmacists. The defendant allegedly issued checks from the group's bank account to benefit herself and her family and withdrew cash from the organization's checking account while servicing as Executive Director. According to the indictment, the professor also tried to cover up the embezzlement by concealing her withdrawals and creating misleading financial...

A 35-year-old woman living in the Chicago suburbs recently accepted an offer of her dream job. She was pleasantly surprised to have been offered an upper management position in a bank. The only downside is that she will have to move to a different city. She recently met a man through online dating, and they moved in together last month. She has noticed that he is somewhat jealous and possessive of her, but she is relieved to have met a...

Tensions between family members run high during the holidays. Many couples that have been working at home together while trying to manage their children's online learning have decided that it is time to pull the plug on their marriages. If you are considering divorce, you may be wondering whether it is a good idea to become separated or divorced during the holiday season. Numerous benefits come from getting divorced during the holidays, such as tax benefits and the ability to...

A Tolono, Illinois woman faces embezzlement charges for allegedly embezzling hundreds of thousands of dollars from her employer over five years. She has also been charged with filing false income tax returns for four years straight. The woman had control of her employer’s financial records and access to its bank account and credit cards. According to the indicted, she allegedly wrote vendor checks to herself and she also wrote checks for cash payable from the company's bank account. Additionally, she...

A couple in Palatine just fulfilled their dream of opening up a deli and bakery last year when the coronavirus pandemic struck. By taking online orders and using aggressive social media marketing, they have survived the first round of shutdowns. Now they have learned that Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker just announced that Tier 3 restrictions will begin again for all Illinois residents starting. Stay at home advisories are now back in effect in suburban Cook County and Chicago. The couple...

Illinois has experienced over 10,000 new coronavirus diagnoses a day for the fourth day in a row. Illinois Governor J. B. Pritzker recently announced that Illinois will continue to increase restrictions in multiple counties, citing the fact that the number of daily new cases has increased by 380% since October 1st. Many Illinois residents over the age of 65 are understandably concerned about the dangers of coronavirus, yet most young adults aged 30 and younger do not seem to take...

A married couple in their 50s thought their lives were moving along nicely. They both made advances in their professional lives and were enjoying their financial freedom, despite working incredibly long hours and not spending nearly enough time together. However, when Illinois governor J.B. Pritzker ordered a shutdown, they both were required to begin working from home. The wife began to notice her husband sneaking off during the day to take phone calls outside or in another room. He claimed...

A Schaumburg couple finally decided to get divorced and go their separate ways. The wife felt as though her husband held her back from her dream of opening her own business. The husband felt his wife was not supportive enough of his own all-consuming, yet successful local bar and grill. After months of negotiating the terms of the contentious divorce, they breathed a sigh of relief when the court finalized their divorce settlement. Like many of us, the spouses thought...

A Chicago businessman decided to go out with his co-workers after work on Halloween weekend. He learned that Governor Pritzker would be imposing another indoor dining ban due to the increased spread of COVID-19 the coming week. Despite restaurant owners fighting back against the stringent second round of shutdowns, the governor has not backed down. Knowing that they would not be able to go out and eat in a restaurant for quite a while, they decided to enjoy several drinks...

Cook County State's Attorney Kim Foxx won reelection in a hotly contested local race this past election cycle. When Foxx was elected in 2016, she promoted a platform of “progressive prosecution.” This movement seeks to make reforms to the criminal justice system, with the end goal of preventing mass incarceration. Kim Foxx has made good on her promise to enact progressive prosecution policies, and her appointment has resulted in the changing face of Illinois criminal law. Understanding Progressive Prosecution Kim...