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Cook County State's Attorney's Office:
Press Releases


Anita Alvarez
Cook County State's Attorney
Communications Department
Chicago, IL 60602
(312) 603-3423
saomedia@cookcountygov.com

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

May 4, 2010

State's Attorney Cracks Down On Local Corruption
Launches "Operation Cookie Jar"

Four people have been arrested and charged in separate financial crimes investigations in a new and ongoing crack down on public corruption by the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office, State’s Attorney Anita Alvarez announced today.

The four are the first to be targeted and arrested in “Operation Cookie Jar,” an ongoing investigative operation targeting public or government employees accused of theft or other financial crimes at the local level.

Among those arrested and charged are a former treasurer for a suburban park district who set up a company in which he made payments from the district to himself, and a financial manager for a school district who is accused of stealing money from funds earmarked for special education students.

“The problem of corruption imposes a hidden cost on the hard working taxpayers of this county,” Alvarez said.  “If the crime infects your school district, or your park district board, or your township, and someone is looting the funds, then it undermines the quality of life for you and your children.”

Among those arrested and charged in “Operation Cookie Jar:”

  • Donald Jacobs, 62, of Posen.  Jacobs, the former treasurer for the City of Posen Park District, is charged with Theft of Government Property, a Class X felony

  • Martin Boyd, 62, of Hometown.  Boyd, the former village accountant for Harwood Heights, is charged with Theft of Government Property, a Class X felony.
  • Robert Baldwin, 67, of Prospect Heights.  Baldwin, the former director of fiscal services for the Niles Township District for Special Education, is charged with Official Misconduct.
  • Michael Tracy, 48, of Tinley Park.  Tracy, the former director and secretary of the Southwest Bar Association, is charged with Theft of Property

In addition to working with local authorities to investigate cases of corruption, the State’s Attorney’s Special Prosecutions Bureau has also initiated a systematic review of local government entities, conducting financial evaluations and audits to target local corruption more proactively, according to Alvarez.

 

 

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