Former Chicago Alderman Danny Solis, who cooperated with the FBI and secretly recorded influential figures like former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan, took the witness stand in Madigan’s federal corruption trial. Solis, who served as the chair of the powerful Zoning Committee before resigning in 2019, testified that he was charged with bribery after soliciting campaign contributions from a developer in exchange for zoning support. Solis entered into a deferred prosecution agreement with the government, agreeing to testify truthfully in exchange for dropping the bribery charge.
Solis’s testimony was crucial, as he described his long cooperation with the FBI, starting with his involvement in the investigation of Madigan. He outlined how he introduced Madigan to developers in exchange for favors, such as securing a state board position for Solis. Solis also discussed his dealings with real estate developer See Wong, who was already an FBI informant. The government used Solis’s recordings, including one with Ald. Ed Burke, in previous trials. Although his cover was nearly blown by media reports, Solis continued to assist the FBI until Madigan’s involvement came under investigation in 2017.
Solis’s cross-examination focused on whether the FBI had manipulated people into providing false information. The trial is expected to continue into early December, with Solis’s cooperation playing a central role in implicating Madigan and his associates in a large corruption scheme.
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