U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald says the charges, quote -- "reflect a disturbing violation of trust."
The indictment also alleges members of Ryan's family got cash loans and gifts totaling 167-thousand-dollars. The 69-year-old Ryan is a Republican known worldwide as a leading critic of the death penalty.
He gradually became the focus of a corruption investigation that began even before his 1998 election as governor. The growing scandal was a factor in Ryan's 2001 decision not to seek a second term.
Long road to indictment
The ABC 7 I-Team broke the corruption scandal license for bribes in early 1998. It was a long road that led to today's charges against former Gov. Ryan.
This is a case with a long history and a long political lineage. From truck driving school instructors, to small town DMV clerks right up to the Governor himself. The victims left in their wake were taxpayers, innocent drivers and passengers.
"The depth of pain is indescribable," said Scott Willis, victims' father, in 1994.
In November 1994, the seeds of a scandal are planted when a fiery crash killed six children from Chicago's southwest side. The accident was caused by a truck driver who illegally obtained his Illinois commercial drivers license.
Ricardo Guzman cannot speak English and does not have the proper training to drive or maintain his truck. During a delivery to Milwaukee, a chunk of metal fell off his trailer, hit and punctured the gas tank in a family van owned by the Rev. Scott Willis and his wife.
Four years after the accident, an ABC 7 I-Team report questioned Guzman's ability to get a license. The I-Team tracked down Secretary of State employees who claimed licenses were for sale and nothing was being done about it.
"I gave them information about certain asst. mgrs that were taking bribes and giving out licenses out, not even making people take the test and passing them. They kept saying they were working on it but they never did anything because people above them told them to stop," said the whistleblower, a former secretary of state employee.
Several months after our expose, federal agents raided the Melrose Park driver's license facility and began making arrests of current and former Secretary of State employees on bribery and extortion charges
Secretary of State George Ryan reacts by insisting that no internal investigation of how Guzman obtained his license is warranted. But in court papers, a former special agent with Ryan's inspector general office says that an investigation had been under way.
In a sworn affidavit the former agent states "I wanted to interview Ricardo Guzman based upon my knowledge of bribery fraud and corruption in respect to the sale of commercial driver's licenses..." Instead, the former agent says he was told to quote "leave it alone..."
Numerous employees try to blow the whistle on the scheme but claim their efforts are thwarted.
George Ryan goes on to win the governor's race even though federal prosecutors say a conservative estimate of $170,000 in bribe money went into his campaign fund. Marion Seibel, a former Secretary of State manager told the I-Team that she raised $83,000 for Ryan's campaign and that she was told her career depended on it.
"This would be good for a change in your title or increase in your salary," said Seibel.
>In February of 2000, Dean Bauer, Secretary of State Inspector General, and long time friend of George Ryan is indicted on federal charges of hampering investigations and hiding evidence. He pleads innocent to the charges but later pleads guilty to obstructing justice.
"Was I involved in selling drivers licenses to people illegally? Hell no, I wasn't. Would I have tolerated it? Hell no," said George Ryan, March 2000.
In August of 2001, Ryan maintains his innocence but announces he will not seek a second term as governor.
Last April Ryan's "Citizen's for Ryan" campaign and two top former aides, Scott Fawell and Richard Juliano are charged with racketeering and mail fraud for allegedly using state resources to benefit Ryan's campaign. Juliano pleads guilty to mail fraud.
"The message sent today is that tax dollars are not free money. Tax dollars belong to the taxpayers, they are not free money to be used by the campaign," said Patrick Fitzgerald, U.S. Attorney.
In December, the government files documents alleging Ryan was present when Fawell gave orders to destroy potential evidence. Fawell allegedly told Ryan "Hey George, I told Bill to go around and tell people to get stuff out of their offices." Prosecutors also say Ryan participated in a meeting where an employee was ordered to campaign on state time.
The scandal continues to spread. A former CTA board member admits to helping conceal a kickback scheme involving other Ryan confidants. Ryan's top aids are being accused of shaking down DMV vendors and fingers are pointed at Ryan for awarding lucrative lease deals to friends.
Ryan is the 66th person charged in the investigation; 59 people and his campaign committee have been convicted so far. Prosecutors say approximately $1 million was stolen from taxpayers.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
