Lake Forest Lawyer Pleads Not Guilty To Bribing Indicted Alderman

CHICAGO — A Lake Forest lawyer and real estate investor pleaded not guilty Thursday to federal charges he bribed an indicted Chicago aldermen. Federal prosecutors said he retained the property tax law firm of 14th Ward Ald. Ed Burke in order to facilitate city permits and access to $2 million in tax increment financing money before lying to federal agents investigating allegations of corrupt practices by the longest-serving member of the Chicago City Council.

Charles Cui, 48, was arraigned on one count of bribery involving a federally backed program, two counts of using interstate commerce to facilitate bribery and official misconduct and one count of lying to the FBI. Prosecutors said he sought help from Burke in an effort to gain city approval for a derelict rusted metal pole outside a property Cui bought in the 4900 block of West Irving Park Road.

In emails included in an indictment unsealed last week, Cui said in August 2017 that Burke handed "his tax appeal business card to me, and I need his favor for my [TIF] money. In addition, I need his help for my zoning etc for my project. He is a powerful broker in City Hall, and I need him now." The next month, Cui hired Burke's law firm to represent him on property tax appeals. Cui never managed to secure the $2 million because he failed to meet the conditions imposed by the City Council.

Burke was charged separately with attempted extortion in January after federal investigators raided his offices in November and again in December and seized records and electronic devices. He is accused of shaking down the owner of a fast food franchise by jamming him up with a driveway permit until the businessman agreed to hire Burke's law firm.

Federal prosecutors said he also solicited a $10,000 donation to the campaign of Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle at a fundraiser hosted by Burke's wife, Illinois Supreme Court Justice Anne Burke. After his indictment, Burke managed to keep his seat, avoiding a runoff in this month's election by winning more than 50% of the vote against two opponents in February. Federal prosecutors face a May 3 deadline to indict Burke on additional charges.

Cui, an immigration lawyer licensed to practice in Michigan but not Illinois, is being represented by five attorneys in the federal case: Tinos Diamantatos, Alex Berger and Megan Braden from the Philadelphia-based firm Morgan, Lewis & Bockius, as well as Vadim Glozman and Daniel Radakovich, local criminal defense attorneys with their own practices.

If convicted, Cui faces 10 years in prison for federal program bribery, 5 years for making false statements to the FBI and 5 years for each count of using interstate commerce to facilitate bribery, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office in Chicago.

Read more: Lake Forest Man Charged With Bribing Chicago Alderman Ed Burke, Lying To FBI