Blago's Elvis fetches $20,500 at auction

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill., Aug. 19 (UPI) -- An auction of convicted former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich's property pulled in about $30,000 Thursday, most of that going for an Elvis Presley statue.

The Chicago Daily Herald reported a bidding war ended when Keith Rich bid $20,500 for the life-size statue of the late King of Rock 'n' Roll during the auction of Blagojevich possessions that had been left at Boyer-Rosene Moving & Storage in Arlington Heights, Ill.

Rich, owner of Rich Harvest Farms in Sugar Grove, said he intends to give the statue to his mother Betty as a present.

"She's a huge Elvis fan," he said, adding he and his wife are "not Blagojevich fans."

The sale was held because about $100,000 in fees for storage space rented by Friends of Blagojevich in 2002 hadn't been paid. The company says the auction proceeds will go to charity.

Storage firm Chief Financial Officer Joe Saverino said the statue and six wood crates filled with items netted more than $30,000, with all of it going to Children's Memorial Hospital. About 80 people bid on office furniture, campaign items, photographs, awards, old computers and other items.

A framed autographed Elvis photo collage, signed "The King," garnered $1,650, the Herald said.

An unopened box that went for $45 was found to contain old newspapers, "Registration Audit Reports," and Blagojevich campaign sponges, stickers and pins, the newspaper said.

One Chicago woman paid $375 for a neon sign that says "Governor Blagojevich."

"I just like history," said the new owner, Ava Barcelona of Chicago.

Blagojevich was convicted by a federal jury Tuesday of making false statements to the FBI but a mistrial was declared on 23 other charges. Prosecutors said they would retry Blagojevich on corruption charges.