Illinois Quick Hits: Ex-Chicago housing director indicted in alleged kickback scheme

Illinois Quick Hits: Ex-Chicago housing director indicted in alleged kickback scheme

Spread the love

(The Center Square) – A former Chicago Housing Authority property director is accused of steering more than $4.8 million in city business to a construction company in exchange for more than $421,000 in kickbacks.

Ryan Ross, 50, of Bolingbrook and Vanessa Rhodes, 47, of Chicago are both charged with eight counts of honest services fraud.

A federal indictment accused Ross of receiving the kickbacks in 2023 and 2024 from Rhodes, who owns a Chicago company that did business as Twenty Eleven Construction, Inc.

ONE OF FBI’S MOST WANTED SENTENCED FOR MACHINE GUN POSSESSION

A Belleville man who was on the FBI’s Most Wanted list has been sentenced to nine years in federal prison for possessing a machine gun.

Dontay Moore, 23, is facing state charges in St. Louis for other offenses, including his alleged involvement in a drive-by shooting that resulted in serious injuries to bystanders.

Prosecutors say his federal sentence will be in addition to any sentence imposed in state court. Moore was arrested by Illinois State Police in September 2025.

ICE-INVOLVED CRASH REPORTED IN CHICAGO

A pursuit reportedly involving federal immigration law enforcement officers ended in a crash on Chicago’s Northwest Side.

WGN-TV reports that the incident came to a halt around 11 a.m. on Tuesday in the 3800 block of North Olcott Avenue.

A witness said several unmarked vehicles followed a red Lexus and appeared to strike the Lexus before it crashed into a tree. Another witness said he later saw a man being escorted from the scene.

REPORT: THOUSANDS DROP OBAMACARE IN ILLINOIS

More than 92,000 Illinois consumers have lost or dropped Affordable Care Act health insurance in recent months.

The Chicago Tribune reports that the unusually large decline followed the expiration of tax credits that had helped to curb the plans’ costs.

Last month, Democrats on the Joint Economic Committee estimated that 120,825 people in Illinois would lose health insurance due to the ACA cuts proposed by President Donald Trump and congressional Republicans.

Leave a Comment





Latest News Stories

Govt. funding process advances as three more bills to become law; six remain

Govt. funding process advances as three more bills to become law; six remain

By Thérèse BoudreauxThe Center Square With the U.S. Senate sending a roughly $180 billion funding package to the president’s desk Thursday, Congress has now knocked out half of the annual...
Bankers push back on Trump's plan to reduce swipe fees, cap interest rates

Bankers push back on Trump’s plan to reduce swipe fees, cap interest rates

By Brett RowlandThe Center Square Banks are pushing back against renewed efforts to cap interest rates for consumers, after President Donald Trump endorsed the move as he seeks to show...
State lawmaker calls for hearings on banning Sharia law in Texas

State lawmaker calls for hearings on banning Sharia law in Texas

By Bethany BlankleyThe Center Square A Texas lawmaker is calling for the state legislature to hold hearings on actions the legislature can take to ban Sharia law in the state....
U.S. to build nuclear reactor on Moon by 2030, cost unknown

U.S. to build nuclear reactor on Moon by 2030, cost unknown

By Brett RowlandThe Center Square The U.S. plans to build a nuclear reactor on the moon by 2030 to prepare for future missions to Mars. The National Aeronautics and Space...
WATCH: Gov. Polis calls out Republicans in State of the State

WATCH: Gov. Polis calls out Republicans in State of the State

By Elyse ApelThe Center Square Colorado Gov. Jared Polis delivered his last State of the State to a joint session of the Colorado General Assembly on Thursday. In his speech,...
Republican senators introduce bill to address childcare, immigration fraud

Republican senators introduce bill to address childcare, immigration fraud

By Bethany BlankleyThe Center Square U.S. senators, led by U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, have introduced a bill to amend federal law to address federally funded childcare provider fraud. The...
More than $1 billion spent on noncitizen hospital costs in fiscal 2025

More than $1 billion spent on noncitizen hospital costs in fiscal 2025

By Bethany BlankleyThe Center Square Taxpayer-funded medical costs for noncitizens at Texas hospitals totaled more than $1 billion last year, according to newly released state data. The data spans ten...

IL Senate GOP: Pritzker, not Trump, raised power bills

By Jim Talamonti | The Center SquareThe Center Square (The Center Square) – Illinois Senate Republicans say Gov. J.B. Pritzker is wrong to blame President Donald Trump for high electric...
SC weighs whether Amazon must pay workers for mandatory COVID screenings

SC weighs whether Amazon must pay workers for mandatory COVID screenings

By Catrina Barker | The Center Square contributorThe Center Square (The Center Square) – The Illinois Supreme Court is considering whether Amazon must compensate warehouse workers for time spent waiting...
Federal judge allows New York wind project to proceed

Federal judge allows New York wind project to proceed

By Chris WadeThe Center Square A federal judge has given a green light for construction to resume on New York's largest offshore wind project that was abruptly shut down by...
Goodlander faces federal probe over ‘illegal orders’ video

Goodlander faces federal probe over ‘illegal orders’ video

By Chris WadeThe Center Square Democratic New Hampshire Rep. Maggie Goodlander says she is being investigated by federal prosecutors for participating in a video message urging service members to refuse...
Pennsylvania lawmakers criticize violent ICE encounters

Pennsylvania lawmakers criticize violent ICE encounters

By Christina LengyelThe Center Square With ongoing protests across the commonwealth over the actions of the Department of Homeland Security’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE, 18 Pennsylvania legislators have...
WATCH: Tax increase talk at Statehouse; Bost’s election lawsuit against Illinois wins standing

WATCH: Tax increase talk at Statehouse; Bost’s election lawsuit against Illinois wins standing

By Greg Bishop | The Center SquareThe Center Square (The Center Square) – In today's edition of Illinois in Focus Daily, The Center Square's Greg Bishop discusses the status of...
Illinois Quick Hits: Indiana governor 'working hard' to attract Bears

Illinois Quick Hits: Indiana governor ‘working hard’ to attract Bears

By Jim Talamonti | The Center SquareThe Center Square (The Center Square) – Indiana Gov. Mike Braun says the Chicago Bears noticed that the Hoosier state is open for business....
Will County Logo Graphic

Meeting Summary and Briefs: Capital Improvements & IT Committee for January 6, 2026

Capital Improvements & IT Committee Meeting | January 6, 2026 Overall Meeting SummaryThe Will County Board Capital Improvements and IT Committee met on Tuesday, January 6, 2026, to discuss facility...