Ex-Obama friend convicted in Chicago

CHICAGO, June 4 (UPI) -- Antoin "Tony" Rezko, a former friend of Barack Obama and former top adviser to Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich was convicted Wednesday on corruption charges.

Rezko was charged with trading on his clout as a Blagojevich adviser and fundraiser. The Chicago Tribune reported the conviction could spell trouble for the governor, who made Rezko an important member of his kitchen Cabinet.

A federal jury in Chicago convicted Rezko on 16 of 24 corruption counts after deliberating for parts of 13 days. Rezko was convicted of conspiring with Stuart Levine, a longtime GOP activist, to extort millions from firms seeking state contracts or regulator approval, the Tribune said.

Levine pleaded guilty in 2006 and became a government witness

Trial testimony revealed further allegations, the Tribune said. A former state official told jurors he bought his job with bribes to Rezko and campaign contributions to Blagojevich, and was one of several witnesses who said Rezko talked about derailing the federal investigation by using influence in the Bush White House to get U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald fired.

Witnesses said Rezko's alleged schemes involved political insiders from both parties, the Tribune said.

Rezko was close to many Illinois politicians and had been a major fundraiser for Obama and Blagojevich.

Neither Obama, the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, nor the governor has been charged with wrongdoing.