Belleville, IL special sections| Belleville News-Democrat

Special Sections

Second class action lawsuit filed against Madison County over bid-rigging scheme

Former Madison County Treasurer Fred Bathon.

For the second time in two weeks, a Madison County property owner filed a lawsuit seeking class action status against the county for ex-treasurer Fred Bathon's bid-rigging scheme involving annual auctions of delinquent property taxes.

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Archive by category ''Special Sections

TAX AUCTION CONTROVERSY

Who might be a victim?

Federal prosecutors are setting up a claims system for those who were victims of the Madison County delinquent property tax sale conspiracy. Here are the tax sales records from 2004 through 2007. Those charged 18 percent might have a claim.
TAX AUCTION CONTROVERSY

Reaction to Bathon plea: 'When you do a bad deed, you should pay for it'

Ora Leonard, 75, a retired nurse and the widow of a military veteran, nearly lost her Venice home because of the thousands of dollars in penalties charged to her because of a 2005 Madison County tax auction conducted by former Treasurer Fred Bathon.
TAX AUCTION CONTROVERSY

Bathon plea agreement says tax buyers 'colluded' with him

The plea agreement reached Tuesday between federal prosecutors and former Madison County Tresurer Fred Bathon states that investors "colluded" with Bathon in a scheme to charge high penalty rates to property owners whose taxes were delinquent.
TAX AUCTION CONTROVERSY

Headlines from Fred Bathon's career

Some headlines from Fred Bathon's political career
TAX AUCTION CONTROVERSY

Former Madison County treasurer pleads guilty to rigging late tax sales

Fred Bathon, the former Madison County treasurer, pleaded guilty Tuesday in federal court to conspiring to restrain interstate trade by illegally rigging sales of delinquent property taxes from 2005-09.
HIDDEN SUFFERING, HIDDEN DEATH

Department on Aging's approach sought to protect homebound disabled adults

The Illinois Department on Aging will be asked to help carry out reforms to protect disabled adults who live at home and investigate when they are neglected or abused, according to a proposal announced Friday by Gov. Pat Quinn.
TRAPPED IN TAMMS

Tamms guards are paid $425,000 in overtime for year

There are more guards than inmates at the largely empty maximum security section at Tamms Correctional Center in Alexander County.
OVERDOSE DEATHS IN THE METRO-EAST

Caseyville man charged in Maryville woman's overdose death

A Caseyville man is accused of delivering heroin to a woman who was found dead in a Maryville apartment.
OVERDOSE DEATHS IN THE METRO-EAST

Metro-east woman gets four years in overdose deaths

A Bethalto woman accused of causing two overdose deaths in a month may stay in prison less than a year and a half, thanks to time served and possible good behavior.
TRAPPED IN TAMMS

Group wants judge in Tamms closure suit to hear from prisoners held for years in solitary

Attorneys for a non-profit legal group in Chicago have filed a motion in a downstate court case involving whether the supermax Tamms prison should close.