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Charles Rex Arbogast / AP
William Cellini, center, departs the federal courthouse with unidentified family members after Judge James Zagel sentenced him to 366 days in prison and a $75,000 fine on Thursday in Chicago.
CHICAGO -- A federal judge sentenced former Illinois powerbroker William Cellini to a year in prison Thursday for conspiring to shake down a movie producer, capping off the last trial to stem from the investigation of former Gov. Rod Blagojevich.
Cellini, 77, was once known to political insiders as the "King of Clout" for his behind-the-scenes influence in state government. The multimillionaire businessman was convicted last year for his role in trying to get a $1.5 million campaign contribution for Blagojevich from Thomas Rosenberg, the Oscar-winning producer of "Million Dollar Baby," in exchange for state business.
Judge James Zagel's sentence of one year and one day in prison was more than the probation defense attorneys sought but far less than the 6 ½- to eight years in prison recommended by prosecutors. Zagel said he took into account Cellini's poor health, including a heart attack he had in June. The judge also fined Cellini $75,000.
"This was a series of extremely unwise decisions," Zagel said in sentencing Cellini. However, he also noted Cellini's acts of charity and said the 364 letters he received from Cellini supporters was more than he'd ever seen for anyone.
Defense attorneys described Cellini's numerous health problems, including blood clots that he has had and is at risk for having in the future.
"Mr. Cellini is in the twilight of his life," defense attorney Dan Webb told Zagel.
'Hard message'
Both sides asked the judge to take Cellini's health into account, but prosecutors said the conviction still warranted prison time because public officials were involved.
Federal prosecutor Julie Porter said that Cellini's "crimes are very significant."
The Chicago Tribune quoted Porter as saying:
"If you violate the public trust, you are going to jail. You are going to lose your liberty. This is a hard message, but it is a necessary message. … It does not matter if you are 27 or 77. It does not matter if you are rich or poor."
Cellini took notes during the hearing and sat at times with his eyes closed. He read from a short statement, thanking friends and family for their support and telling the judge he didn't think he had long to live. He asked for probation but also said he took responsibility for his actions.
"My family and I suffered greatly over these past five years," he said, referring to his legal problems. Members of his family sitting in the courtroom wiped tears.
Cellini doesn't have to report to prison until Jan. 4, and the judge said he did that to give Cellini more time deal with his health problems.
Cellini left court Thursday without speaking to reporters. His defense attorneys said they were disappointed in the sentence and were considering an appeal of his conviction.
Cellini, a Springfield Republican, was appointed Illinois transportation secretary in the early 1970s. He then used his state connections to help earn tens of millions from real estate, casino and other ventures.
Despite his wealth and influence, Cellini maintained a low profile and rarely spoke in public. It was his association with Blagojevich that drew him into legal peril.
Former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich gave a long, rambling speech a day before heading off to prison. NBC's Brian Williams reports.
Cellini was one of more than a dozen people ensnared by the decade-long investigation into Blagojevich. The ousted governor was sentenced last year to 14 years in prison on corruption charges, including allegations that he sought to sell or trade an appointment to President Barack Obama's vacated Senate seat. The Chicago Democrat began serving his sentence at a federal prison in Colorado in March.
Webb noted that Cellini wouldn't have pocketed any money from the shakedown of Rosenberg. Instead, prosecutors contend he saw it as a chance to further ingratiate himself with those in power.
Acting U.S. Attorney Gary Shapiro called Cellini one of the "principal movers and shakers in the corruption" that "pervaded Springfield."
Former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich is on his way to a federal prison in Colorado where he will begin his 14-year sentence for corruption. To share his own prison-sentence experience, former Congressman from Ohio, Bob Ney, joins NOW and discusses what is in store for Blagojevich once he's in jail.
But Shapiro said he doesn't expect this to be the end of corruption in Illinois.
"I'd like to think we're never going to be prosecuting corrupt Illinois politicians again," Shapiro told reporters after the hearing. "But I'd be insane to make that prediction."
The Chicago Tribune quoted Shapiro as saying Cellini's sentence should serve as a warning.
"I think there is something to be said for incarceration for a person in Bill Cellini's position … In certain communities, sentences of incarceration do send messages, and this is a small community we are talking about — the sort of bipartisan cabal of Illinois, the people that are the behind-the-scenes folks that fuel the corruption and raise the money. Those people pay attention to things like this, and they pay attention when someone who is almost 78 goes to prison."
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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Berry: this is perfect! so there's a vacuum in Illinois there's no shame in have a smaller roll in government.
Two things:
Bet he has very close ties to Valerie Jarrett, Queenpin of The Chicago Machine and Senior Advisor to P.Obama...(by the way, she gets Secret Service protection and her own Government Jet)....
AND...the guy gets admitted to the Hospital on Jan. 2, two days before he is supposed to report to Prison....
These power brokers know way too much to do real time. The same system they help create judges them? Hmmm, I wonder how deep the rabbit hole really is.
Just clearing the streets for the DC gang to come back home to...
In 2012, Chicago has the highest murder rate in the Alpha world cities with 19.4 murders per 100,000. This rate is more than triple New York (6.0) and more than double Los Angeles (7.5), and ahead of Mexico City, Moscow, and São Paulo. Chicago is projected to have 505 homicides for the year which would be a 16% increase from 2011.[3]
The streets of Chicago are officially more dangerous than a war zone: Homicide victims in the Windy City (228/15Jun) outnumber U.S. troops killed in Afghanistan this year (114/15Jun).
Rahm Emanuel is doing his part by pushing for more gun regulations for law abiding citizens...
Geez, power leads to corruption? Who'd a thunk it?
So we are supposed to feel sorry for him...He broke the law he got off easy because he is rich..and now he wants us to feel sorry...right..well let him rot in jail...white collar criminals get easy sentences..I bet he goes to a country club federal prison...if it was a low life on the street he would get sent to the baddest of the baddest prisons...whawww..booo hooo.
That's just the way it is Dude.
Crooks who get caught go to jail.
you know this yet do nothing about it? guess the people of chicago like it that way. but do the rest of us a favor and keep it there not send it to D.C.
Too late.
ah yes ..Chicago.....the windy city.....obamas pseudo "home town".....known for
1.Pizza
2. mobsters
3. crooked politicians
and sadly, the only thing we know as a certainty is;.... Obama is NOT a pizza.........................
Illinois might want to come up with a new State flower or even another state motto.
"unidentified family members"
Pure guess...daughter from first marriage on the left. Second/Trophy wife on the right.
Or vice versa.
Sad day for the Cellini family. It's too bad he got himself tangled up with Blogo. I disagree that this is the last trial in the Blogo corruption case. Whatever happened to Jesse Jackson, Jr.? He goes A.W.O.L. for a few months rather than running for re-election, claims he has issues, he'll be re-appointed to his congressional seat in November, and then he will magically re-appear. He'll claim he's healed, and if anything from this case comes up, he'll be in a position to slap it back down. Ahh, you have to love Chicago style politics! Does the stink from this issue even begin to register with you Obama supporters?
I thought the Feds were going to go after Jesse Jackson Jr. Has Obama stopped the hunt for corrupt Chicago Democrats as the honest prosecutor was getting close to the White House?
As we take a breath in Chicago, corruption is alive ad well. Just have to wonder where it is happening. Could it be at street and sanitation, or perhaps police department or the mayors office. Blagojevic is sitting in jail thinking I only have 4 more years . I can smell pardon in the air. I did my job as a loyal soldier.
I seem to recall the President had a few deals with Mr Cellini but I guess that was a clean deal.
I'd bet the farm there's not been a POTUS that hasn't been involved in some sort of shady, crooked a$$ deal.
"he also noted Cellini's acts of charity and said the 364 letters he received from Cellini supporters was more than he'd ever seen for anyone."
Cracks me up when people are quick to site all the good sh!t they've done while being called out on the bad sh!t they've done. Like the good is supposed to make the bad go away. Heres a novel idea. Don't do the bad sh!t to begin with. Just think what this guy has done over the years that we don't know about.
Lock his ol' crooked a$$ up.
Does anyone remember a few years back when someone asked Obama if he knew this mayor and he said he met him once,or so he thought,Blago,I mean..And what did Obama think about him trying to sell his position..Then we all saw all the pictures of Blago and Obama in very intimate and numerous pictures..Lie much!! And we are suppose to trust this man for 4 more flippin years??
The William Cellini of today sure don't look like the Emperor he once was!
Poor
babyLil Emperor....boo hooAnd it was all brought on by YOURSELF!! . . . frankly, corrupt politicians should be executed. How many lives has this man made miserable by his corruption and how much did his family benefit through this? . . . hope he suffers greatly while serving his inadequate sentence in prison . . . no sympathies here!
This just goes to show us that both parties are corrupt, and it doesn't matter what party gets in power. THE MIDDLE CLASS IS SCREWED.
Only a politician can get a sentence of 1 year in jail. Oh, excuse me - 1 year and 1 day.
He's old and therefore should be let go. HA! He's all old and frail now that he's in trouble. the same way former dictators or heads of state who are being tried for corruption suddenly fall ill or have injuries that keep them in hospital and out of the courtroom.