Judge revokes bond, orders jail for Rezko

CHICAGO, Jan. 28 (UPI) -- Tony Rezko, linked to Democratic presidential hopeful Barack Obama, was jailed Monday when a federal judge in Chicago revoked his bond.

Federal agents arrested Rezko at his Wilmette, Ill., home on allegations he lied to the court about his finances while free on bond awaiting trial on fraud and corruption charges, the Chicago Sun-Times reported

"The reality is this defendant has played a shell game" and misled the court, Assistant U.S. Attorney Reid J. Schar said.

Prosecutors alleged Rezko received millions of dollars secretly, channeling the funds through third parties to family, friends and creditors without telling the court. Rezko had told the court he had relatively no money, having family members post properties for his $1.5 million bond.

Rezko, an ex-adviser and fundraiser for Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich, is scheduled to go to trial for allegedly using his relationships with top Illinois state officials to extort companies wanting to do business with two state boards.

Rezko become an issue in the presidential campaign because of a long association with the Illinois senator. More than $80,000 in campaign contributions linked to Rezko and given to Obama have now been donated to charity, the newspaper said.