Anti-Corruption - University of Illinois at Chicago

Silver Shovel 1992 - 2001
John Christopher, a Mob connected construction contractor, who had served time for bank fraud
and for submitting phony snow removal bills to the city in 1979, became an uncover Mole for the
FBI in 1993. He spent three years bribing numerous public officials in Chicago and the suburbs.
He secretly recorded the payoff conversations.
In addition to documenting public officials accepting bribes to facilitate illegal dumping and
siting of landfills, Christopher gathered evidence about drug trafficking, organized crime activity
and labor union corruption. He paid off city aldermen, the president of the Metropolitan Water
Reclamation District, and two city inspectors. 61
Christopher had a “Silver Shovel” and he scooped up and deliver to Federal prosecutors a total of
18 convictions and guilty pleas from six aldermen numerous public employees. Among those
convicted were aldermen Ambrosio Medrano (25th Ward), Allan Streeter (17th Ward), Jesse
Evans (21st Ward), Lawrence Bloom (5th Ward), Virgil Jones (15th Ward), and Percy Giles
(37th Ward). 62
Thomas Fuller, former president of the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District (MWRD), was
found guilty of receiving two bribes totally $9,000 from Christopher to help him lease land from
the district and to acquire a contract. 63 He also pleaded guilty to separate tax charges. Fuller’s codefendant,
James Blassingame, a campaign consultant, was also found guilty. He was charged
with arranging bribes for Fuller and MWRD Commissioner Joseph Gardner, who died before he
could be indicted for taking bribes from Christopher. 64
Before and after he began working for the FBI, Christopher was the principal businessman behind
an illegal dump site at Roosevelt Road and Kildare Ave. Christopher and others piled up more
than 700,000 tons of concrete, asphalt and other construction material. 65 The pile, which was
about six stories high, aggravated neighbors and prompted calls to the U.S. Attorneys office. The
cost of cleaning up the site was $21 million. At least $4.5 million was dumped after Christopher
went undercover. 66
61
O'Connor, Matt, and Ray Gibson. "Silver Shovel Corruption Probe Widens- Evans Charged in Latest
Round." Chicago Tribune, July 17, 1996
62
Merriner, James L.. Grafters and Goo Goos: Corruption and Reform in Chicago, 1833-2003.
Carbondale: Southern Illinois University Press, 2004
63
Cam Simpson, “Ex-aide, consultant guilty in bribe case,” Chicago Sun-Times, March 7, 1998
64
Matt O’Connor, “2 found guilty in Silver Shovel,” Chicago Tribune, March 7, 1998
65
Chuck Neubauer, FBI Mole Probes Local Politicians; Ex-Con Wired in Feds’ Operation Silver Shovel,”
Chicago Sun-Times, Jan.7, 1996
66
Fran Spielman, “Dump cleanup costs soar to $21 million for Silver Shovel site, Chicago Sun-Times,
April 27, 2001
48