Ford Heights Mayor Charles Griffin was found guilty Monday of embezzling village funds, though he was not held responsible for stealing the full $147,000 prosecutors sought.
Cook County Judge James Obbish found Griffin guilty of one felony count of embezzling between $10,000 and $100,000 of public funds “for the benefit of himself, his family and friends” from 2014 to 2017, during and after his first term as mayor of Ford Heights.
Griffin served as mayor of the town of 1,750 from 2009 to 2017 and, despite facing federal indictment, was re-elected to the post in 2021.
The lawyers presented all the evidence last week and their closing arguments were presented on Tuesday.
“A person shall not be authorized to take the oath of office for any municipal office if such person…has been convicted in any court within the United States of any infamous felony, bribery, perjury, or other felony…” according to current Illinois law.
Prosecutors charged Griffin after secret accounts containing $147,000 in public funds were discovered and reported to authorities by former Mayor Annie Coulter’s office shortly after she took office in 2017.
Griffin was jailed in August 2018 and released shortly after on bail. Cook County District Attorney Kim Foxx issued a press release at the time condemning “theft by a person in a position of public trust,” saying it “will not be tolerated.”
“Shortly after Griffin left office, the village discovered irregular activity on BMO Harris Bank accounts under the village’s name that did not appear to have been previously disclosed to village trustees and/or other village officials,” Foxx said in the statement.
Authorities said two bank accounts listed Griffin’s home address. One of the accounts held deposits from the state treasurer’s office that represented the village’s share of video gaming taxes, the state’s attorney said.
“Significant portions of the funds withdrawn from this account were used for Griffin’s personal expenses,” the office said in 2018, adding that the debit card transactions included spending at Walmart, Home Depot, Menards, LA Fitness and various restaurants.
ostevens@chicagotribune.com
