Blagojevich, brother, ex-aides indicted

CHICAGO, April 2 (UPI) -- A federal grand jury in Chicago Thursday indicted former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich, his brother and former top aides on corruption and racketeering charges.

The 19-count indictment comes after Blagojevich, 52, was arrested in handcuffs in December on a federal criminal complaint charging he engaged in pay-to-pay politics and a conspiracy to trade state jobs and contracts for campaign contributions.

"Since 2002, even before he was first elected governor that November, and continuing until he was arrested on Dec. 9, 2008, former Illinois Gov. Rod R. Blagojevich and a circle of his closest aides and advisors allegedly engaged in a wide-ranging scheme to deprive the people of Illinois of honest government," federal prosecutors charged.

"He allegedly used his office in numerous matters involving state appointments, business, legislation and pension fund investments to seek or obtain such financial benefits as money, campaign contributions, and employment for himself and others, in exchange for official actions, including trying to leverage his authority to appoint a United States senator," a press release accompanying the indictment said.

Also indicted were the former governor's brother, Robert; Christopher Kelley, a former top fundraiser; Lon Monk, a lobbyist and former Blagojevich chief of staff; John Harris, also a former chief of staff; and political insider William Cellini, who was indicted for extortion last year.

Blagojevich's wife, Patricia, was not indicted. The couple have two children.

No arraignment date was immediately set.

Federal prosecutors faced a Tuesday deadline for getting an indictment of the ousted Illinois governor on a wide variety of charges, including an alleged scheme to sell the U.S. Senate seat vacated by President Barack Obama.

Blagojevich eventually named former Illinois Attorney General Roland Burris to the seat.

The word came as Blagojevich vacationed with his family at Disney's Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa in Lake Buena Vista, Fla., the Chicago Tribune reported.

Blagojevich was impeached by the Illinois House and removed from office by the Illinois Senate in January and barred from ever holding office in the state of Illinois again.