Sheriff, Lawyer, Commissioner

The Illinois Administrator has filed a complaint alleging that an attorney who was employed by the Cook County Sheriff’s Office engaged in criminal and dishonest conduct by working as a private lawyer and for a county board while receiving disability payments.

After he sustained injuries in a car accident

Despite being on Injured on Duty status and  receiving disability benefits from the Cook County Insurance Benefit Fund from  October 2008 to November 2010, Respondent continued to work as a private  attorney by representing [four] clients and receiving compensation from  those clients during the same time period that he was receiving disability  benefits…

The complaint alleges that he also received nearly $40,000 for work as an elected McHenery County commissioner during the disability period.

Then

 In or about February 2009, the Sheriff’s  Personnel Office began investigating Respondent to determine his level of  activity in light of the injuries from which he claimed to suffer. As a part of  its investigation, the Sheriff’s Personnel Office conducted surveillance on  Respondent which included witnessing him driving. The investigation also  revealed that Respondent was then working as a McHenry County Board member and a  lawyer while receiving disability benefits from the CCSO.

Now, the charge

Respondent’s conduct in receiving temporary  total disability benefits from the CCSO and compensation from McHenry County and  from his law practice was dishonest and fraudulent, and Respondent knew the  applicable regulations did not allow him to collect disability benefits from the  CCSO while getting paid by the McHenry County Board.