(Chicago) A former chief of staff to Ald. Howard Brookins pleaded guilty Thursday to taking a $7,500 cash bribe from an undercover FBI informant at a 2013 Christmas party at the alderman’s office, the Chicago Sun-Times reports.
Curtis Thompson Jr. initially quibbled with some of the details in his plea but eventually agreed to it in court, saying, “And I accepted the $7,500.”
At a meeting last year, the informant had allegedly passed a note to Brookins that said “12K to you for your letter of support” as he tried to land the alderman’s backing for a liquor license in the 21st Ward.
The informant got his letter from the alderman’s office, authorities said. But Brookins has not been charged and denies any wrongdoing.
When Thompson was charged in February with accepting a bribe, Brookins said he knew of no instance in which Thompson either solicited or accepted a bribe in exchange for persuading the alderman to support a liquor license.
A federal complaint alleged Brookins met with the FBI’s informant and Thompson at his office on Oct. 29, 2013, and was handed a post-it with the bribe offer. The informant was outfitted with hidden audio and video recording devices.
The investigation began in 2012, according to the complaint, but led to an Oct. 9, 2013, meeting at which the informant handed Thompson a note offering the $7,500 bribe in return for a letter of support for his liquor license from the alderman.
“Okay, I understand, I understand,” Thompson allegedly replied, stating that he would bring it up with the alderman.
At a meeting at Brookins’ officer three weeks later, Brookins allegedly told the informant that he would get his “teeth kicked in” by residents of his South Side ward if he allowed another liquor store to open. But he allegedly told the informant it might be easier for him to support a liquor license for a “name brand” store such as a White Hen or a 7-Eleven.
After the informant allegedly handed Brookins a note with a $12,000 bribe offer, the alderman is accused of saying that he’d like to support him and would get back to him with a decision.
Two days later, Thompson was recorded saying that the informant “needs to quit writing things down,” the complaint states.
The alderman’s office went on to shake down the informant for more money — donations to the alderman’s holiday toy drive and to co-sponsor the alderman’s Christmas party, the complaint alleges.
After the informant agreed to pay up, he was handed a letter from the alderman which read, “Please allow this letter to serve as my full support for a 7-Eleven convenience store . . . This store will be a welcomed addition to [my] community and those that patronize the area for shopping and convenience needs. As well as wine and spirits (alcohol).”
The informant attended the alderman’s Christmas party on Dec. 19, and while walking out of the party with Thompson, allegedly gave Thompson a red envelope containing a Christmas card and 75 $100 bills. Thompson took the envelope from the informant, “felt it deliberately, looked at it and then placed it in a jacket pocket,” the complaint states.
–Sun-Times
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