On May 13, the same day that Rezko's corruption case went to the federal jury in Chicago, Clark County, Nevada, prosecutors filed a new criminal complaint charging the Wilmette businessman and Democratic Party fundraiser wrote nine bad checks to Las Vegas casinos in 2006.
Five checks totaling $250,000 allegedly written to Caesar's Palace and four others worth $200,000 to Bally's hotel casino.
Authorities in Nevada say Rezko bought the casino markers between March and July of 2006, months before he was indicted on federal charges that he used his influence to stack two Illinois boards and tried to collect kickbacks from companies that had business dealings with those boards.
On May 20, the Clark County district attorney issued a warrant for Rezko, who posted an $8 million federal bond to spend his nights under house arrest in his Wilmette mansion. He is allowed in the Loop at his lawyer's office while the jury of ten women and two men continues deliberating his guilt or innocence.
Rezko's lawyer, Joseph Duffy, would not comment Thursday when asked about the Las Vegas case.
