Produced by Travis Truitt on Tuesday, October 05, 2010
http://www.wbez.org/Content.aspx?audioID=44823

Bond is set at $250,000 for a top aide to Cook County Board President Todd Stroger.

Carla Oglesby has been charged with theft of government property, money laundering and official misconduct.

Prosecutors say Oglesby awarded and approved more than a dozen, no-bid contracts with communications companies on behalf of Cook County government.

Cook County State's Attorney Anita Alvarez says several of the companies were incorporated with the Illinois Secretary of State's Office after the contracts were signed and payments were made.

ALVAREZ: In this process the county was defrauded out of hundreds of thousands of dollars in taxpayer money for work that was never performed.

Alvarez says Oglesby awarded contracts to two companies that she owned or had previously controlled. Those contracts were for just under $25,000 each. Prosecutors say that was to avoid required board approval for contracts exceeding $25,000.

They say the total loss to Cook County from these contracts is estimated at more than $300,000.

An attorney representing Oglesby says she'll fight the charges.

Stroger says he's asked for and received Oglesby's resignation.