Mobile UPI  |   About UPI  |   UPI en Español  |   UPI Arabic  |   UPIU  |   My Account
Search:
Go

Blagojevich aide pleads guilty

|
|
 
  
Former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich leaves Federal Court after a hearing in his criminal case in Chicago on April 21, 2009. U.S. District Judge James Zagel refused to modify terms of Blagojevich's bail to allow him to travel to Costa Rica to star in a reality television show. (UPI Photo/Brian Kersey) 
Published: Oct. 20, 2009 at 6:44 PM

CHICAGO, Oct. 20 (UPI) -- A close friend of former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich has agreed to help investigators in a corruption case against the former governor, prosecutors said.

Alonzo "Lon" Monk, Blagojevich's former campaign manager and chief of staff, pleaded guilty Tuesday in federal court to one charge of participating in a scheme to commit wire fraud. In return for Monk's cooperation, prosecutors are recommending a sentence of two years in prison.

Monk's plea agreement alleges Blagojevich, Monk, convicted businessman Tony Rezko and the late Christopher Kelly discussed ways to profit from public corruption even before Blagojevich became governor, the Chicago Tribune said.

Monk, 51, of Decatur, Ill., alleges Rezko typically led the discussions and admitted in court Tuesday to receiving about nine payments of $10,000.

John Harris, another former Blagojevich chief of staff, previously pleaded guilty and agreed to testify against the former governor. The Chicago Tribune said Rezko is also expected to testify in the case. Kelly died in an apparent suicide this fall.

Topics: Rod Blagojevich
Recommended Stories
© 2009 United Press International, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Any reproduction, republication, redistribution and/or modification of any UPI content is expressly prohibited without UPI's prior written consent.

Order reprints
  
Join the conversation
Most Popular Collections
The Tibetan Moniam Festival in China Super Bowl XLVI ticker tape victory parade The making of the Oscars
The Chicago Auto Show The Most Desirable Women of 2012 Tu Bishvat Migron settlement
Additional U.S. News Stories
1 of 20
Syrian protests continue
View Caption
fark
Survey finds that men are quick to fall in love, roll over and fall asleep
Nerdiest sport ever: Combat juggling
Photoshop this topless athlete
Man rejects girlfriend's noodles, says toodles by leaving her in poodle of blood. Oodles of boodle...
Mormons tried to posthumously baptize Nobel laureate and Holocaust survivor Elie Wiesel but were...
School principals should probably have background checks processed on them before they are hired...or...