Burr Ridge Man's $2.5M Fraud 'Poor Judgment': Lawyer

BURR RIDGE, IL – The federal case against a Burr Ridge man involves "a common truth we all know and accept – everyone makes mistakes," his lawyer says.

In Dennis Haggerty's case, the mistake was swindling $2.5 million from Northwestern and University of Iowa hospitals.

Last week, Haggerty's attorney, Edmund Wanderling of North Riverside, made the case that his client should not go to prison.

In March, Haggerty, 46, pleaded guilty to $2.5 million in fraud in selling personal protective equipment to the hospitals. His crimes were in the first weeks of the pandemic.

Federal prosecutors contended recently that Haggerty gets a seven-figure salary from his current employer, which the government did not identify.

Wanderling said no defendant should be judged solely based on the worst thing he has ever done.

"Dennis Haggerty Jr. is a good man who unfortunately exercised extremely poor judgment," Wanderling wrote. "Dennis remains a loving father and brother and a hardworking person who has always gone about his life as a caring and respectful person."

Haggerty inappropriately spent the money he received from the hospitals on behalf of his company, At Diagnostics, which consisted of two other partners, according to his attorney. Haggerty then spun a "web of lies" to hide his activity, Wanderling said.

According to federal prosecutors, Haggerty went on a spending spree, buying a 2013 Maserati GranTurismo, a 2015 Land Rover and a 2017 Maserati Ghibli.

Wanderling argued his client would be unable to pay back the money he took fraudulently if he were sent to prison. Also, Haggerty and his wife, who have two children together, were divorced in January. He now owes $13,500 a month in child support and maintenance, Wandering said.

Before the fraud, Haggerty had no criminal history since 2006. Most of his arrests before that were driving-related, including three DUIs, indicating alcohol abuse, his lawyer said.

In the five months since his plea, Haggerty has paid nearly $550,000 in restitution, Wanderling said.

The attorney said Haggerty's criminal conduct was based on panic and poor judgment. It was not planned with evil or guilty intent, Wanderling said.

"We submit that Mr. Haggerty's life has been for the most part all good but for his misconduct," Wanderling said. "This must be recognized as his crime in this case must be assessed in the context of the overall facts and his overall life, and it should be when the Court imposes (a) sentence when his and his children's future hangs in the balance. Mr. Haggerty is the rock of his family."

A case status hearing is set for Nov. 29.