Chicago City Wire

On June 15,  businessman James Weiss was convicted on charges of bribing state legislators. 

Weiss’s trial at the Everett McKinley Dirksen United States Courthouse in Chicago lasted around two weeks. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean Franzblau said the case was a simple one in which Weiss provided thousands of dollars in “consulting fees” to then-state representative Luis Arroyo to favor regulations regarding his sweepstakes business. 

“He can call it whatever he wants,” Franzblau told the jury during his closing arguments, The State Journal-Register reported. “He can call himself his consultant, his lobbyist, his dentist, his therapist – it doesn’t matter. If you pay a public official money in exchange for an official act, it is a bribe.”

Weiss, a manager of a sweepstakes gambling company, was convicted on multiple charges including wire fraud, bribery, mail fraud, and making false statements to the FBI. The trial revealed that Weiss had paid bribes to Arroyo in exchange for promoting legislation related to the sweepstakes industry in the state's General Assembly. Weiss also attempted to bribe Illinois state Sen. Terry Link, who was cooperating with the FBI. Link pleaded guilty to filing a false tax return before resigning his post, potentially receiving probation for his assistance. Weiss now faces a potential prison sentence of up to 20 years, with the sentencing scheduled for Oct. 11, according to The Center Square.

Arroyo, a former Democratic leader in the Illinois House, was sentenced to nearly five years in prison for his involvement in the bribery scheme, NBC Chicago reported. Arroyo pleaded guilty to wire fraud. 

Weiss is married to former state Rep. Toni Berrios, the daughter of longtime former Cook County Democratic Party boss Joseph Berrios.