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

frankfort fire district graphic logo.2

Frankfort Fire Trustees Hold Four-Hour Closed Session on Chief Search

Article Summary: The Frankfort Fire Protection District Board of Trustees convened a special meeting on Monday, December 1, 2025, dedicating nearly four hours to a private closed session regarding the search...
frankfort illinois library logo graphic.1

Library Anticipates Purchasing Delays as Major Distributor Closes

Frankfort Public Library District Board of Trustees Meeting | October 2025 Article Summary: Library Director Amanda Kowalcze informed the board that Baker & Taylor, a major book distributor, is going...
Will County P&Z Logo Planning Zoning

P&Z Commission: Peotone Area Variances Forwarded for Garage and Pole Barn

Will County Planning and Zoning Commission Meeting | December 2, 2025 Article Summary: The Will County Planning and Zoning Commission approved variance requests for two properties in Peotone Township, allowing...

Peotone License Plate Camera Renewal Sparks Privacy Debate in Public Works Committee

Public Works & Transportation Committee Meeting | December 2, 2025 Article Summary: A renewal of an agreement allowing license plate reading (LPR) cameras in Peotone passed the Public Works Committee,...
Screenshot 2025-12-04 at 11.39.37 AM

Village Secures $1.6 Million Grant for Laraway and Pfeiffer Road Multi-Use Path

Village of Frankfort Board Meeting | December 1, 2025 Article Summary: Frankfort officials authorized agreements with the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) to utilize over $1.6 million in grant funding...
frankfort illinois library logo graphic.1

Library Board Updates Materials Selection Policy and Reconsideration Process

Frankfort Public Library District Board of Trustees Meeting | October 2025 Article Summary: The Library Board approved revisions to the Materials Selection Policy, formally incorporating the "Library of Things" and...
Screenshot 2025-12-05 at 12.00.30 PM

Joliet Unity Movement Criticizes Board’s Handling of Cannabis Tax Revenue

Will County Board Meeting | December 4, 2025 Article Summary: During public comment, the Joliet Unity Movement denounced a recent board vote that redirected cannabis tax revenue away from community...

Safety Upgrades Planned for Wilmington-Peotone Road; Gas Line Proposal Rejected

Public Works & Transportation Committee Meeting | December 2, 2025 Article Summary: The Will County Public Works Committee approved a $1.9 million engineering contract for improvements to a dangerous stretch...
frankfort village hall graphic logo.7

Online Luxury Car Dealership Approved for Center Road

Village of Frankfort Board Meeting | December 1, 2025 Article Summary: The Village Board granted two Special Use Permits to allow Asad’s Import Auto Sales, Inc. to operate an online-based...
Screenshot 2025-12-05 at 11.56.48 AM

Tensions Flare as Board Members Clash Over Budget Process and Protocol

Will County Board Meeting | December 4, 2025 Article Summary: A special meeting intended to fix a budget error turned contentious as board members traded accusations regarding transparency, meeting conduct,...
Screenshot 2025-12-05 at 11.57.25 AM

Will County Board Approves $2.7 Million Reserve Draw to Finalize 0% Tax Levy

Will County Board Meeting | December 4, 2025 Article Summary: The Will County Board unanimously voted to transfer approximately $2.78 million from cash reserves to balance the fiscal year 2026...
frankfort illinois library logo graphic.5

Frankfort Library Reading Room Project Moves to Permitting Phase; Native Landscaping Planned

Frankfort Public Library District Board of Trustees Meeting | October 2025 Article Summary: The Frankfort Public Library District Board of Trustees received a detailed update on the Reading Room Project,...
Screenshot 2025-12-04 at 11.39.18 AM

Waffles Kafé to Replace Former Lumes Pancake House; Liquor License Approved

Village of Frankfort Board Meeting | December 1, 2025 Article Summary: The Frankfort Village Board approved a Special Use Permit and a liquor license amendment to pave the way for...
Meeting-Briefs

Meeting Summary and Briefs: Lincoln-Way Community High School District 210 for November 20, 2025

Lincoln-Way Community High School District 210 Meeting | November 20, 2025 The Lincoln-Way Community High School District 210 Board of Education held a busy meeting on Thursday, November 20, 2025,...
Meeting Briefs

Meeting Summary and Briefs: Frankfort School District 161 for November 19, 2025

Frankfort School District 161 Meeting | November 19, 2025 The Frankfort School District 161 Board of Education's November 19, 2025 meeting was dominated by discussions of future district initiatives, including...