Tag: Christopher Kelly

The death of Christopher Kelly, a top fundraiser, close friend and a co-defendant of former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich, is looking more like a suicide.

A source familiar with the investigation told the Chicago Sun-Times that Kelly, who was married, called a woman late Friday identified as his "girlfriend" and told her that he took some pills and was going to kill himself.

The woman picked up Kelly at a lumberyard near 173rd St. and Cicero in Country Club Hills, where Kelly reportedly had vomited. Police were taking samples of the vomit and searching for evidence at the lumberyard, the source said. State Police evidence technicians were also called in to search the area near the lumberyard.

[More...]

Christopher Kelly, a co-defendant and former top fundraiser for former Ill. Gov. Rod Blagojevich, has died of salicylate intoxication.

Kelly pleaded guilty earlier this year to tax fraud charges in a 2007 case. He was sentenced to 37 months and scheduled to surrender in November, 2009. According to documents on PACER, the judge recommended in its sentencing order that he serve his sentence at Yankton, S.D. and that he be allowed to participate in a residential drug and alcohol program.

Kelly was charged in a wire fraud/money laundering case in early 2009. He pleaded guilty last week. The plea agreement (pdf) called for a 57 month sentence to run consecutive to the 37 month sentence. The judge either sentenced him immediately or denied him bond pending sentencing, as he was ordered to surrender to the U.S. Marshals Service on Sept. 18, 2009. His bond conditions were also modified for the short period between his plea and September 18, 2009, to include a provision that he have no contact with three persons (unnamed in the order) and that he spend every night between midnight and 6:00 a.m. in his house. [More...]

His plea agreement did not call for cooperation against Blagojevich.

Kelly is not accused of any involvement in the burgeoning political corruption case that has resulted in Rezko's conviction for influence-peddling and charges against Blagojevich that include scheming to sell or trade the U.S. Senate seat left vacant by Barack Obama's election as president....His plea agreement did not call for cooperation on his part in the Blagojevich investigation -- something that might have gotten him a break.

Another nice job by Chicago criminal defense attorney (and TalkLeft pal) Mike Monico.