2 CPD officers indicted on bribery charge, allegedly traded crash report information for cash

CHICAGO (WLS) -- Two Chicago police officers were indicted Thursday on federal bribery charges, the U.S. Attorney's Office announced.

Both officers are accused of accepting thousands of dollars in kickbacks in exchange for insider information about traffic crashes.

In a statement released Friday, the U.S. Attorney's Office of the Northern District of Illinois said CPD Officers Kevin Tate, 47, and Milot Cadichon, 46, gave information from crash reports to Richard Burton of National Attorney Referral Service in Bloomingdale before the information was made public.

Burton, 55, owns National Attorney Referral Service.

The first indictment reads: "Burton paid Cadichon at least $7350 in exchange for traffic reports and information." The second reads: "Burton paid Tate at least $6000 in exchange for traffic reports and information."

Cadichon and Tate face federal charges for using interstate wire transfers to obtain the bribes and for taking bribes as members of an agency that receives federal funding.

Burton faces charges of conspiracy to commit bribery, the U.S. Attorney said.

If convicted, the three men could face up to five years in prison, while Tate and Cadichon could face up to an additional ten years in prison for their bribery charge, the U.S. Attorney said.

Both have been relieved of their police powers pending the outcome of the investigation. Neither officer has been arrested.

In 2014, Tate was honored with another officer for helping children escape a burning building in West Pullman.

In a statement also released Friday, CPD Superintendent Eddie Johnson said:

"The most important thing that any police officer strives for in their career is earning the trust and confidence of the people they serve. We represent a symbol of justice, and integrity is at the forefront of everything we do. If proven the allegations against these two officers are a disgraceful abuse of what I and the 13,000 selfless men and women of the Chicago Police Department have dedicated our lives to. Both officers have been relieved of their police powers pending the outcome of the federal investigation."

ABC7 Chicago has not received a response from National Attorney Referral Service.