Racist Threats In Forged Court Orders Sent To Local Restaurants

EVANSTON, IL — Someone has been sending fraudulent court orders filled with racial slurs, threats and hate speech to restaurants in Evanston and other North Shore communities, police said.

For three days in a row, minority-owned restaurants have reported receiving nearly identical letters that appear to have been sent from the Skokie Courthouse, according to police.

The first was received by Ovo Frito Cafe, 1936 Maple Ave., on Monday, police said. The second letter was reported Tuesday by Kabul House, 2424 Dempster St., and, on Wednesday, the receipt of a third letter was reported at Mt. Everest, 630 Church St.

Two Skokie businesses — Lao Sze Chuan Restaurant, 9434 Skokie Blvd., and Tub Tim Thai Restaurant, 4927 Oakton St. — also reported receiving the letters on Tuesday, police said.

Titled "court order" and dated Sept. 14., the letters are signed by members of the "white judges club," according to police. They threaten unspecified consequences if the restaurants do not shut down.

The racist threats seem to be targeted at local immigrant communities.

Evanston Police Sgt. Ken Carter said the department is working with the Cook County Sheriff's Police and the United States Postal Investigation Service to figure out who is sending the letters, which have not only been received in Evanston.

"We've learned that these letters have been circulating throughout the North Shore. It seems like there's been have been multiple reports from other jurisdictions that are similar in nature," Carter told Patch. "Right now the belief is that they're related."

The letters falsely claim to have been sent by various current or retired Cook County Circuit Court judges, according the chief judge's office, which described the documents as appalling forgeries intended to intimidate people.

“I’m indignant over this blatant attack on the judiciary,” Chief Judge Tim Evans said in a statement. “By falsely attributing abusive and racist comments to Circuit Court of Cook County judges, it impugns their hard work and integrity and may create a dangerous situation.”

Police in Niles and Morton Grove are also investigating, and the FBI and the U.S. Attorney’s office in Chicago have been notified, according to the chief judge's office.

Niles police said one of the hate-filled letters was received by Twin Dragon, 9046 Golf Road, while Morton Grove police said two restaurants reported receiving similar letters on Monday and Wednesday but declined to say which ones.

The public should be aware of the fake mailings, the owners of the first two restaurants to receive the letters told the Evanston Roundtable, which first reported the letters Tuesday.

“I don’t want the people who wrote this to think they’re going to intimidate us,” Zinnia Iglesias, the owner of Ovo Frito Cafe, told the paper.

Patch has requested further information from the Cook County Sheriff's Office. Any additional details received will be added here.