Posted on 09/12/2009 1:29:47 PM PDT by Velveeta
Two sources with knowledge of the situation told the Tribune today they have been notified that Christopher Kelly, a key figure into the federal corruption probe into former Gov. Rod Blagojevich, is dead.
(Excerpt) Read more at newsblogs.chicagotribune.com ...
Here's some background:
In the 28-page plea, Kelly admits to a litany of fraud while his roofing company worked as a contractor at O’Hare, including working with an insider to rig bids and fraudulently win contracts. That insider is accused of inflating the budget numbers and, in return, Kelly paid him at least $450,000 in kickbacks, according to the plea.
Kelly admitted he doctored invoices as a way to divert money to pay off personal gambling and other debt, including to repay $700,000 convicted businessman Tony Rezko gave him to buy a home, according to charges.
Rezko has been in jail since his conviction last June. He, too, voluntarily surrendered. Shortly after, he began providing information to the government.
http://www.southtownstar.com/news/1758709,blagojevich-chris-kelly-plea-chicago-090809.article
Chicago Way - ping
BTTT !!!
Marcy Park’d... ?
Blago was due on Fox and friends this AM to pimp his book; they said he had sent a message @ 3AM, that he “might not be able to make it.” He was a no show. In Hiding?
Chicago politics at their finest.
Probably hanged himself like the DC madame .... and shot himself in the back of the head 3 times to make sure it worked.
Capone would be so proud.
www.chicagobreakingnews.com has a confirmation also. (noticed that the Obama HopenChange flag loads just before the text too) No sellout there, huh?
Wasn’t Blago a ‘no show’, today on F & F?
If I were Bl;ago I would look for shelter in the Paki mountains near Bin Laden.
bttt
This sounds like another Chicago politics “teachable moment.”
RIP.
That’s the question of the hour...
This type of incident makes one hope that Sarah and Todd have engaged very serious security for themselves and the kids up in Alaska.
Oh you’re right! I saw that segment on F&F this morning.
Hmmmmmmmmm......
he’s a no show because he just got the message...
For sure.
Alaska isn’t shitcago. I don’t think Sarah or Todd have anything to worry about.
LOL. That’s a good suggestion.
So did Blago arrange it, or will he be next?
Yes, but Christopher Kelly won’t be joining anyone for a beer.
May he rest in peace.
DC Madam
Jack Shaw - indicted NJ Democrat "committed suicide" back on July 30.
I don’t think the beer gig would have worked in this case.
Indeed, he was a no show. F&F had said that Blago’s publicist sent an email to F&F at 3:00am that Blago might not make it to the show.
I bet that explains it, but at least they had a good time ridiculing him in his absence!
“Check for the scent of hairspray in the hall!”
Blago, IMO, wouldn’t have enough clout to arrange it.
Will he be next? I can only imagine that he’s wondering the same thing today...
I’ll need to get a new computer to start keeping track of the ZERO’s Body Count.
Interesting and this morning Blago blew off a Fox and friends scheduled appearance?
When I lived up north not so long back we actually had one guy incapacitated because “he fell off of his horse”. That was in the last 10 years.
Can’t say I’m surprised. What would surprise me is if they “find” he DIDN’T kill himself.
I still don't understand why this story never get's any coverage:
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2008/apr/19/key-witness-in-passport-fraud-case-fatally-shot/
Correct me if I’m wrong, but wasn’t their an article last Winter about Kelly’s connections to RAHM EMANUEL???
Well it was Rahm’s district Senate seat up for sale, er I mean...well you know.
Is Rahm on tape speaking with Chris Kelly (aka big fundraiser guy)? Good question...
There needs to be a wholesale BLEACHING of government in this country. By Bleaching I mean disinfection, cleaning out corruption.
Chicago is sick.
Crosslinked:
Yes, but we have nice flowers in Grant Park. ;-)
BTTT!
more background:
Kelly admitted that bids on the projects were rigged to make certain that his BCI Commercial Roofing Inc. would land the contracts.
In all, the contracts paid Kelly $8.5 million. His profit was $2.5 million, according to the signed plea agreement.
Kelly said that the payments to the consultant were made through third parties. He also admitted that he used thousands of dollars in proceeds from the contracts to pay huge gambling debts.
According to the plea agreement, $47,000 of the sum kicked back to the consultant was billed to now defunct Irving Park Development LLC, managed by Rezmar Inc., a firm run by convicted influence peddler and key Blagojevic fundraiser Tony Rezko.
Kelly then arranged for Rezko Enterprises to pay the consultant, the document said.
Rezko was convicted in June of federal fraud, money laundering and bribery charges following a trial that exposed the corrupt political culture plaguing Illinois. He is now believed to be cooperating with prosecutors as they prepare for the Blagojevich trial, which is set to start June 3.
The plea agreement also said that Kelly paid $700,000, $665,088 of which was derived from the fraud scheme, to Rezko to repay a loan used to buy a house.
http://www.bnd.com/326/story/914397.html
Fmr. Governor Rod Blagojevich Releases Statement on the Death of Christopher Kelly
September 12, 2009
“I am deeply saddened to hear that Chris has died. My heart goes out to his wife Carmen, his three daughters Grace, Jacqueline and Claire and his entire family. They are in our prayers.”
The former governor is in New York and is not available for further comment.
http://www.prnewschannel.com/absolutenm/templates/?a=1644&z=4
Former Blagojevich adviser found dead in Burr Ridge home
Comments
September 12, 2009
Former Rod Blagojevich adviser Christopher Kelly, who pled guilty to corruption charges earlier this week, was found dead in his west suburban home Saturday morning, sources said.
Kelly, 51, of 702 Ambriance Drive in Burr Ridge, was found unresponsive in his home and pronounced dead at Oak Forest Hospital of Cook County, according to the Cook County Medical Examiner’s office.
Sources said Kelly family members found Kelly in his home at 7:01 a.m.....
http://www.pioneerlocal.com/burrridge/news/1767513,br-kellydeath-091209-s1.article
yeah, I suspect blago is hitting the mattresses.........
Kelly died of an apparent “aspirin overdose,” a law enforcement source said.
http://www.suntimes.com/news/metro/blagojevich/1767469,christopher-kelly-blagojevich-dead-091209.article
Don’t forget Donald Young.
http://blogs.bet.com/news/newsyoushouldknow/choir-director-at-obama%E2%80%99s-church-is-killed/
wouldnt it take a lot of aspirin to die?
I’d imagine around 75-100 would do it.
Nasty way to go with the convulsions and all. Certainly not your typical “suicide” drug.
Actually if you’re a chronic aspirin user, you can overdose easier with much less quantity of pills due to the toxicity build-up in the system.
The plot thickens....
Kelly was found in a lumber yard near 173rd Street and Cicero Avenue in Country Club Hills late Friday, said the town’s mayor, Dwight Welch. Kelly ended up at Oak Forest Hospital, where officials alerted authorities of his whereabouts about 3 a.m., Welch said.
Kelly then was transferred by private ambulance to Stroger Hospital at 5:15 a.m. He was treated by doctors and pronounced dead at 10:46 a.m., said hospital spokesman Marcel Bright.
Police found vomit in the lumber yard parking lot, Welch said.
“We are treating this as a death investigation—it’s a possible homicide or suicide, but it’s a high-profile case so we have a homicide level investigation,” Welch said.
And FOX got a message from Blago’s publicist around that time. News travels fast.
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