Ex-Cook dinner County Assessor’s Worker Gets Probation After Admitting to Bribery Plot, Helping Feds

A man Who Workhed for the County County Assessor’s Residence of job became once Senttenced to Probation Tuesday after admitting to a 2017 bribery draw for which others were cleared.

Basilio Clausen pleaded guilty to a conspiracy and mixture to cooperate with federal prosectors Help in October 2023. Then he testified within the course of the 2024 Trial of Robert Mitziga, An Indiana Businessman Also accused within the draw.

But jurors Acquitted Mitziga, environment off an uncommon chase correct through which prosecutors away Did not stable convicions in Corruption Trials at the Dirksen Federal Courtese. In Three Such Trials Since Mitziga’s, Most efficient ex-illinois House Speaker Michael J. Madigan han Realized Responsible.

Prosecutors Also Known as off the February Trial of Lumni Likovski, Another Assessor’s Residence of job Worker Charged with Clausen and Mitziga. The Feds ciped Mitziga’s Acquittal as they Moved to Brush apart Charges Against Likovski.

THEN, EARLIER THIS MONTH, PROSECUTORS ASKED USED DISTRICT JUDGE MATTHEW KENNELLY TO GIVE CLAUSEN FIVE YEARS OF PROBATION. All the map in which through Clausen’s Sentenning Listening to Tuesday, Kennelly Mentioned Clausen’s Crime Contributed to the “sorry Affirm of Affairs” in Which Public District within the Authorities Has Seded.

However the Resolve Mentioned He Also Realized Clausen to be “Candid” durying his testimony in mitziga’s trial, and he notd that colusen sufferer collateral consequens as being “effect as a felon.” The Resolve then Gave Clausen Three Years of Probation.

Charged Individually But ACCUSED IN THE SAME SCHEME WAS LAVIM MEMISOVSKI, A THIRD ASSESSOR’S OFFICE WORKER WHO PLEASE GUILTY In 2022 nonetheless has been to be sentiment.

The Plot Clausen Admitted to Took Residence Between February and November 2017, when Joseph Berrios Served As County Assessor. Clausen Aggreed, Alongside With Likovski and Memisovski, to Lower the Assessed Cost of Obvious Properties in Substitute for Golf Outtings by Mitziga and Another Businessman, Accounting to Clauses Plea Deal.

Property Assessments Are a Key Factor in Figuring out Proppery Taxes.

All the map in which through Mitziga’s Trial, Clausen Testified About His Aim within the Diagram to Recognize Property Assessments Reduced for Mitziga, in Substitute for Freunds of Golf at the Misplaced Golf Membership in Bridgman, Mich.

Mitziga Also took the stand, and he denied there became once any Such Deal. He Informed Jurors He Once Take into fable Clausen to Be One among His “Most efficient Guests” and Mentioned he “Waled luxuriate in carried out something else for Him.” SO clausen asced if he might perhaps presumably luxuriate in taken the Earnings of Mitziga’s Membership at Misplaced Dunes, Mitziga Aggreed.

Meanwhile, Mitziga Mentioned He Tips Clauses Modified into Simply Giving Him Friendly Recommendation About Having Property Assessments Reduced.

“Judge of became once being performed,” Mitziga Testified. “We had been Shut Guests, nonetheless i agree with he had a motif.”

The Feds Accused Mitziga of Telling Clausen that, if Clausen Helpen Lower the Assessments, then “You Guys” Would perhaps perhaps Be Company at Misplaced Dunes.

Clausen Informed Likovski and Memisovski About the Deal, and the Three Men Aggreed to Person Positions at the Assessor’s Residence of job to Lower the Property Assessments, Per A 2023 Indictment.

An FBI Special Agent Testified that the Reduced Assessments Saved the Businessmen Extra than $ 158,000 in Taxes Over Three Years.