Two Chicago Police Officers Indicted On Federal Bribery Charges
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Two Chicago police officers are accused of exchanging information in non-public traffic crash reports for cash from the owner of an attorney-referral service in exchange for money. federal prosecutors said Friday.
Officers Kevin Tate and Milot Cadichon gave the crash reports to Richard Burton, who owned and operated Bloomingdale-based National Attorney Referral Service, the indictments allege. In exchange, Burton allegedly paid a total of at least $7,350 to Cadichon, and at least $6,000 to Tate. Burton then used the information to solicit accident victims as clients for attorneys, the charges state.
Tate, 47, of Chicago, Cadichon, 46, of Chicago, and Burton, 55, of Bloomingdale, are charged with conspiracy to commit bribery. Tate and Cadichon also face an additional count of bribery. Arraignments in federal court have not yet been scheduled.
Traffic crash reports in Chicago are not publicly available during a processing period ranging from 24 hours to several weeks. Police officers can access them for legitimate law enforcement reasons, but they are not permitted to access or disclose the reports for non-law enforcement purposes.
According to the indictments, Tate and Cadichon provided information from the reports to Burton from 2015 to 2017. The information was conveyed in various ways, including using a cell phone to text Burton the crash victims' contact information. Burton paid the officers via cash bribes and wire transfers, according to the charges.
The conspiracy charge carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison, while the bribery charge is punishable by up to ten years.
The officers have been stripped of their police powers, pending the outcome of the investigation, Police Supt. Eddie Johnson said in a statement.
