A federal jury in Chicago found former Illinois Republican Governor George Ryan, 72, guilty Monday on 18 counts including racketeering, mail fraud, false statements, and tax evasion.
Ryan, who left office in 2003 under a cloud of corruption allegations, was found to have accepted bribes and gifts in exchange for government contracts during his tenure as Illinois secretary of state, directing business toward allies and campaign backers. Chicago businessman Larry Warner was also convicted on related charges including racketeering, extortion, and money laundering.
The investigation originated from a fatal truck accident whose driver had paid bribes to obtain a commercial license. The jury's deliberations had been complicated weeks earlier when a judge replaced two jurors with alternates.
The case was prosecuted by US Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald, who has also led investigations into the Valerie Plame affair and pursued charges against media executive Conrad Black, and is examining the administration of Chicago Mayor Richard Daley.
Ryan had previously attracted international attention, including a Nobel Peace Prize nomination, for granting clemency to all of Illinois's death row inmates following a string of wrongful conviction reversals. He now faces the possibility of spending the remainder of his life in prison.
Historical summary. TurkishPress restated this wire report, first published in April 2006, in its own words.