Illinois quick hits: Former police chief convicted of bribery; man sentenced for fraud

Illinois quick hits: Former police chief convicted of bribery; man sentenced for fraud

December 11, 2025/
Spread the love

By Jim Talamonti | The Center Square
The Center Square

Former police chief convicted of bribery

A federal jury has convicted a former Summit, Illinois police chief of bribery offenses for corruptly accepting money from a local businessman to facilitate the transfer of a liquor license.

Prosecutors say John Kosmowski, 57, of Lockport conspired with Summit building inspector William Mundy to accept $10,000 from a businessman in 2017.

Kosmowski’s sentencing is set for March 27, 2026.

Man sentenced for fraud

An Indian national has been sentenced to 7.5 years in federal prison and ordered to pay more than $2 million in restitution for his involvement in an imposter scheme to defraud 11 identified victims, including elderly residents from Edwardsville and Effingham, Illinois, and St. Louis, Missouri.

Ligneshkumar H. Patel, 38, pleaded guilty several fraud charges.

According to court documents, Patel worked within a major conspiracy that included at least 85 additional victims with an intended loss of more than $6.9 million.

Gift card crime warnings

The Illinois Organized Retail Crime Association is sounding the alarm about gift card fraud.

The group says organized criminal groups tamper with cards, hack online accounts and scam victims into providing redemption codes.

ILORCA pointed to a list of warning signs offered by Homeland Security Investigations at the agency’s website.

Leave a Comment





Latest News Stories

Beecher Graphic.3

Beecher to Explore New Banking Relationship, Considers Annual Bids for Services

Article Summary: The Village of Beecher is poised to change where it banks and how it manages its financial partnerships, following a discussion at the July 14 board meeting. After...
Beecher Graphic.4

Beecher Nuisance Property Owner Makes ‘Substantial Effort’ to Clean Up

Article Summary: The owner of a long-problematic property on Catalpa Street has cleaned up the yard and ordered a dumpster, showing significant progress after years of complaints and recent threats...

Meeting Summary and Briefs: Village of Beecher Board of Trustees for July 14, 2025

The Beecher Village Board passed a major overhaul of its governmental structure at its meeting on July 14, approving ordinances that dissolve the Planning and Zoning and Beautification Commissions and...
WCO Exec Cmte July 10.1

County Approves School Resource Officer, Multi-Year Planning Requirements

Will County approved hiring an additional sheriff's deputy for a school resource officer position that will be fully funded by Summit Hill School District 161, while also passing new transparency...
WCO Exec Cmte July 10.2

County Addresses Senior Tax Exemption Processing Error

A processing error that cost County Board member Julie Berkowicz $600 in senior tax exemptions has prompted discussions about improving verification systems for property tax breaks. Will County Chief Assessment...
Meeting Briefs

Executive Committee Meeting July 10 Meeting Briefs

Liquor License Expansion: The county approved increasing Class C1 liquor licenses from eight to nine to accommodate Lockport Gas and Food LLC at 14747 W. 159th Street in Homer Glen....
Screenshot 2025-08-22 at 8.12.43 PM

Beecher School Board Begins Overhaul of District Goals, Focusing on Transparency, Inclusivity, and Student Success

Article Summary: The Beecher Board of Education has initiated a comprehensive update of its district-wide goals, beginning a process to replace a strategic plan that has been in place since...
beecher ilinois school board graphic.12

Beecher School Board Finalizes Policy Updates, Approves New Student Handbook

Article Summary: The Beecher Board of Education gave its final approval to a series of policy updates and a revised Student Handbook for the 2025-2026 school year. The unanimous votes...
beecher ilinois school board graphic.5

District Modifies Janitorial Contract, Saving Money by Bringing Junior High In-House

Article Summary: The Beecher Board of Education approved a new janitorial contract with Citywide Janitorial for the 2025-2026 fiscal year that covers only the elementary school, a change that will...
Meeting Briefs

Meeting Summary and Briefs: Beecher Board of Education for July 9, 2025

The Beecher Board of Education began the process of creating a new five-year strategic plan by holding an in-depth discussion to overhaul its district goals at its July 9 meeting....
washington township graphic.1

Washington Township to Reduce Office Hours in Summer Trial

Article Summary: The Washington Township Board of Trustees has approved a plan to reduce public office hours for a trial period this summer, citing less foot traffic and potential cost...
washington township graphic.2

Washington Township Opts for $1,050 AC Repair Over $10,200 Replacement

Article Summary: The Washington Township Board of Trustees chose to repair two non-functional, 25-year-old air conditioning units for $1,050 rather than pursue a full replacement of all three units at...
washington township graphic.3

Property Assessments Set to Rise Across Washington Township

Article Summary: Washington Township Assessor Pat Peters has advised residents that property assessments are expected to rise for nearly every property in the township. The increase is due to a...
Meeting-Briefs

Meeting Summary and Briefs: Washington Township Board of Trustees for July 7, 2025

The Washington Township Board of Trustees voted to reduce its public office hours for the summer, a key decision made during its meeting on Monday, July 7. Citing a decline...
Will County Land Use July 3.1

Committee Rejects Troy Township Solar Projects Amid Strong Local Opposition

The Will County Land Use and Development Committee recommended denial for two controversial commercial solar energy projects in Troy Township on Thursday, following a wave of opposition from local municipalities,...