Frank Main
Chicago Sun-Times
Chicago, IL, United States
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Past articles by Frank:
‘El Chapo’ son extradited to Chicago to face drug conspiracy charges
El Chapo also faced federal drug charges in Chicago, but was ultimately was prosecuted in federal court in Brooklyn. Now his son will likely be arraigned at the Dirksen Federal Courthouse in Chicago’s Loop. → Read More
In El Chapo fallout, one of Chicago ‘cartel wives’ should get stiffer sentence than accomplices, feds say
They say Valerie Gaytan should get five years for laundering drug money from her husband Margarito Flores and his twin brother Pedro Flores, Chicago cocaine kingpins who helped convict the Sinaloa cartel boss. Her sister-in-law got 3½ years. → Read More
PPP fraud found among Illinois state workers leaves investigator ‘disappointed but not surprised’
Illinois Executive Inspector General Susan Haling says 177 state employees appear to have defrauded the federal Paycheck Protection Program designed to help struggling businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic. → Read More
Former Ald. Helen Shiller’s granddaughter seeks OK to open weed shop in Westside Justice Center building
A City Hall zoning hearing is set Tuesday for the store, called Baked. The proposed shop would replace a restaurant in a building that houses the legal aid center in East Garfield Park. → Read More
Ex-Chicago cop offers rare testimony for man whose double-murder conviction was then vacated
“I’ve never had an officer involved in the arrest and investigation of a client voluntarily testify they got the wrong guy,” Francisco Benitez’s lawyer said of former gang investigator Joe Sparks’ testimony. → Read More
2 former Chicago police officers charged in $2 million COVID-19 relief fraud
Torrey Price retired from the Chicago Police Department on July 15 — about two weeks before he was indicted for fraud. Aaron Price, the other former cop who’s charged, retired in 2017. → Read More
‘Devastating blow to the Gangster Disciples’: Life sentences for 4 leaders, 32-year term for another
Frank Smith, 50, of Naperville, got a life sentence Thursday. → Read More
After South Side clerk admitted to cop he defrauded Link food stamp program, he kept scamming for almost 2 years, feds say
Said Qreini was arrested late last month while boarding a plane for Turkey, authorities say. → Read More
They were 2 Chicago pizza delivery guys. Then, they ran a Mexican drug cartel, feds say
The Guerreros Unidos cartel that authorities say brothers Adan and Mario Casarrubias Salgado led fueled Chicago’s appetite for heroin. It’s also blamed for the massacre of 43 students in Mexico. → Read More
Owner of suburban construction company charged with smuggling workers to U.S. through Romanian kingpin
Tudor Deaconu pleaded not guilty Wednesday to federal smuggling charges. → Read More
Suburban construction company owner helped smuggle workers to U.S. through Romanian kingpin, U.S. alleges
Tudor Deaconu, owner of TDA Construction in Lincolnwood, pleaded not guilty Wednesday to federal charges. → Read More
Bar owners, Greater Grand Crossing residents at odds over crowds, violence on East 75th Street
The battle over the historic Black business district provides a window into street-level democracy, Chicago-style. In the middle of the fray, City Hall is the referee. → Read More
PPP fraud probe results in 6 Chicago Park District employees resigning, 5 facing discipline
Separately, City Hall Inspector General Deborah Witzburg’s investigation of COVID relief Paycheck Protection Program fraud “is a large-scale undertaking” that could lead to criminal charges. → Read More
Dozens of Cook County employees resign or are fired in clerk of court, county inspector general’s PPP fraud probe
Forty-eight court clerk’s office employees “no longer work” there after investigators found they defrauded the federal COVID relief Paycheck Protection Program. Six employees of other county agencies also have been found to have defrauded federal relief programs. → Read More
4 ‘El Chapo’ sons indicted in Chicago, accused of ruthless takeover of Sinaloa Cartel
The charges against the four men known as the “Chapitos,” are part of a Justice Department campaign against what Attorney General Merrick Garland called “the largest, most violent and most prolific fentanyl trafficking operation in the world.” They even fed people to tigers, authorities say. → Read More
Junior Bernie Madoff? Businessmen who say they were bilked of tens of millions say Sean Grusd was just as ‘brazen’
He’s accused of conning prominent Chicago businessmen including John Stafford III and Patrick Buck into investing millions — but spending the money on fancy cars, real estate and vacations. → Read More
FBI’s high-tech investigation cracks Chicago carjacking spree
An affidavit for a search warrant in the case offers an unusually detailed glimpse at how investigators use technology to find carjacking patterns as they try to combat such crimes. → Read More
FOP boss files complaint about city housing migrants at police stations
At least eight migrants, including three children, had been staying at the Central District since they got to Chicago. The Salvation Army moved most of them to a shelter Monday afternoon. → Read More
Arrests at historic lows, murders up 50% since last election: Next mayor faces daunting challenges on public safety
Brandon Johnson says he’d hire 200 more detectives while Paul Vallas vows to build the detective ranks to 10% of overall staffing. The next mayor will also have to address the controversial spike in people being stopped for traffic violations. → Read More
4 Chicago cops placed on desk duty amid allegations seized guns were mishandled
COPA is investigating how the officers handled guns seized on the street. The officers were stripped of their police powers last week, according to a police spokesperson. → Read More