Original News, Features & Opinion on Chicago, Illinois and America
United States Attorney Andrew S. Boutros Issues Rare Special Report Regarding Federal Grand Jury Appearances Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, today issued a rare Special Report confirming what he has already stated publicly in response to intense press interest and inquiries: He has never appeared before any grand…
United States Attorney Andrew S. Boutros Announces Sweeping Reforms to Internal Grand Jury Practices and Disclosures Remediation Plan Includes Most Substantial and Significant Changes in Decades Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, announced a series of sweeping internal reforms to the Office’s grand jury practices and disclosures that took…
United States Attorney Andrew S. Boutros Hosts First-of-Its-Kind All Fed-Head Summit in Chicago Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, today assembled the highest law enforcement leadership from the entire federal apparatus in the Chicagoland region for a historic, first-of-its-kind summit to discuss collaborative efforts to oversee important federal enforcement…
Deputy District Director to United States Congressman Indicted for Fraudulently Obtaining Covid-Relief Benefits The Deputy District Director to an Illinois United States congressman has been indicted on federal fraud charges for allegedly fraudulently obtaining more than $31,000 in unemployment insurance benefits during the Covid pandemic. Under the leadership of U.S. Attorney Andrew S. Boutros and…
Armed illegal alien who re-entered country arrested and charged second time Illegal Alien Who Possessed a Dangerous Weapon in Cook County Jail and Committed an Attempted Vehicular Hijacking Indicted for Allegedly Unlawfully Re-Entering United States after Deportation An illegal alien who resided in a Chicago suburb has been indicted on a federal immigration charge for…
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Illegal Alien Facing State Murder Charge Now Charged in Federal Court With Illegally Possessing Firearm in Chicago CHICAGO — An illegal alien unlawfully residing in the United States, who is charged in state court with murdering an 18-year-old Loyola University student, was charged today in federal court with illegally possessing a firearm in Chicago. JOSE…
Former Executive of Chicago-Area Non-Profits Sentenced to Federal Prison for $1.9 Million Fraud Schemes CHICAGO — A former executive of Chicago-area non-profit organizations has been sentenced to a year in federal prison for misappropriating nearly $1.9 million through a pair of fraud schemes. BARBARA HARRIS served as the Executive Director of the Center for Community…
Chinese Telecommunications Company Fined $50 Million for Conspiring to Steal Technology from Motorola Solutions CHICAGO — A federal judge in Chicago has fined a Chinese telecommunications company $50 million for criminally conspiring to steal proprietary technology from Illinois-based Motorola Solutions, Inc. Beginning in 2006, China-based Hytera Communications Corp. LTD recruited and hired Motorola employees and…
Owner of Chicago-Area Convenience Stores Sentenced to Four Years in Federal Prison for Defrauding Low-Income Food Program CHICAGO — A federal judge has sentenced the owner of several Chicago-area convenience stores to four years in prison for scheming to defraud a low-income food program for women and children. From 2010 to 2018, Hassan Abdellatif schemed…
Chicago Couple Among Nine Individuals Charged in Federal Drug Investigation A federal drug investigation has resulted in criminal charges against nine individuals for allegedly trafficking cocaine in the Chicago area. The investigation, led by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Chicago Police Department, utilized covert surveillance operations, undercover narcotics purchases, and wiretapped communications to…
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Suburban Chicago Man Sentenced to 48 Years in Federal Prison for Sexually Exploiting a Minor A suburban Chicago man has been sentenced to 48 years in federal prison for enticing a minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct. Tercalo E. Thomas enticed, persuaded, and used a prepubescent minor to engage in illegal sexual conduct, which…
Year in Review: U.S. Attorney’s Office in Chicago Cracked Down on Crime While Implementing Significant New Policies and Initiatives in Productive 2025 The United States Attorney’s Office in Chicago increased its caseload to crack down on crime in 2025 while implementing significant new policies and initiatives that have strengthened the Office for continued success now…
Federal Grand Jury Indicts Members and Associates of Violent Chicago Street Gang for Racketeering Conspiracy Involving 13 Murders A federal grand jury has indicted six alleged members and associates of a Chicago street gang for participating in a criminal organization that murdered rivals, committed armed robberies and carjackings, and violently protected their perceived territory on…
Video Podcast on James Comey, ICE Agents, Government shutdown, Gaza Peace Plan, Ukraine and long range missiles, and New York mayoral race Welcome to this week’s episode of Two Guys on Politics with co-hosts former Illinois Congressman Bill Lipinski and columnist at the Southwest News Newspaper Group, and myself, Ray Hanania, writer and columnist with…
Five Individuals Charged in Federal Court in Chicago With Assaulting or Resisting Federal Agents Engaged in Immigration Enforcement Operations Five individuals have been charged in federal court in Chicago with assaulting or forcibly resisting federal agents who were engaged in immigration enforcement operations in Broadview, Ill. over the weekend. The defendants were among a crowd…
Chicago Man Sentenced to Two Years in Federal Prison for Immigration Fraud A Chicago man has been sentenced to two years in federal prison for knowingly providing false verifications of employment for foreign nationals seeking to stay in the United States on an immigration visa, Tuesday, Sept. 9, 2025. Zhao Tai Cui charged F-1 visa…
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Federal Indictment Charges Man With Illegally Possessing Loaded Machine Gun in Chicago Park A man has been indicted on a federal firearm charge for allegedly illegally possessing a loaded machine gun in a Chicago park. Eddie Arguelles possessed the firearm on May 14, 2025, in Riis Park in the Belmont Cragin neighborhood of Chicago, according…
Alleged Boss of Violent Sinaloa Cartel Faction Indicted in Chicago on Narcoterrorism, Drug, and Firearm Charges A federal grand jury in Chicago has indicted an alleged boss of a violent faction of the Sinaloa Cartel in Mexico on narcoterrorism, drug, and firearm charges. Oscar Manuel Gasatelum Iribe, also known as “El Musico,” oversaw the importation…