Chicago City Wire

Chicago Ald. Carrie Austin faces formal bribery charges as part of an ongoing federal corruption probe where she is accused of netting extensive home repairs in exchange for city funding on a $50 million project being developed in her ward.

Austin is also accused of lying to FBI investigators, while her chief of staff, Chester Wilson, is charged with bribery and theft of government services.

The veteran lawmaker is now the third sitting Chicago alderman, all Democrats, hit with federal charges, prompting the Illinois Republican Party to post on Facebook,  “The Illinois Democrat Crime Ring reaches far and wide. From Chicago City Hall to the statehouse, IL Republicans are fighting to rid our state of Democrat corruption once and for all.”

According to the Chicago Sun-Times, Austin is accused by federal investigators of accepting two “brand new” and “expensive” sump pumps for her home. In addition, she is charged with allowing the developer to have a family member buy and install a dehumidifier at the same home. With Austin’s support, the developer’s company stood to be eligible for as much as $10.5 million in tax-increment financing and other funding from the city.

A source identified the development as the Renaissance at Beverly Ridge, which was once headed by Lemont businessman Boris Nitchoff before he died in 2020.

Both Austin and Wilson were set to be arraigned on July 8. Austin’s troubles leave her and Ald. Ed Burke (14th), the council’s two most senior members both facing federal crime charges. Appointed to the council in 1994, Austin ranks second in seniority.

Earlier this year, a federal grand jury also indicted Ald. Patrick Daley Thompson (11th), the nephew and grandson of Chicago’s two longest-serving mayors, on fraud charges.

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