News

Former Chicago Ald. Ed Burke convicted of racketeering and bribery, but his aide is acquitted

Posted December 21, 2023 3:45 pm

By Jon Seidel and Mariah Woelfel

A jury of nine women and three men heard from 38 witnesses over 16 days of testimony as prosecutors made their case that Burke was “a bribe taker” and “an extortionist” in a historic trial of one of the city’s most powerful politicians.

Edward M. Burke, the longest-serving City Council member in Chicago history, was convicted Thursday of racketeering, bribery and attempted extortion.

A federal jury found Burke guilty on all but one of 14 corruption counts against him. Jurors found that he committed racketeering acts in all four schemes laid out in his indictment involving the Old Post Office, a Burger King in Burke’s 14th Ward, Binny’s Beverage Depot and the Field Museum.

Burke remained straight-faced, his chin resting on his hands, as the verdict was read. His wife, retired Illinois Supreme Court Chief Justice Anne Burke, stepped over to him and they exchanged a kiss and a hug as the jurors left the courtroom.

Developer Charles Cui, on trial with Burke, was found guilty but an aide to Burke, Peter Andrews, was found not guilty.

Read the full story at www.chicago.suntimes.com.

Article Comments

Article Categories
Chicago Crime News Politics Region

Article Comments

Guidelines: Keep it civil and on topic; no profanity, vulgarity, slurs or personal attacks. People who harass others or joke about tragedies will be blocked. If a comment violates these standards or our terms of service, click the "flag" link in the lower-right corner of the comment box. To find our more, read our FAQ.