The jury in the Rezko trial has signaled it may be approaching a verdict. Tuesday the jury announced it had deadlocked on one count, but resumed deliberations Wednesday morning. On Wednesday afternoon the jury was instructed by the judge to keep deliberating..
Rezko is facing charges of mail and wire fraud, aiding and abetting bribery, attempted extortion and money laundering in connection with an alleged scheme to get kickbacks from companies wanting state contracts.
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The Rezko trial may have major implications in the 2008 presidential campaign, since Rezko owns the vacant lot next to the Obama home, and was involved an unusual transaction which included Rezko's wife purchasing the lot next to the Obama's home.
The photo above shows Barack Obama's home on the right, and Rezko's vacant lot on the left.
Obama got his primo property the way Chicago politicians have done business for generations - by hooking up with a shady character who works out a special arrangement. Obama's deal was only possible because he was a Chicago politician willing to do a deal with a guy involved in felonious behavior. These deals aren't available for regular folks.
Here is Rezko's shady land deal with Obama:
In June 2005, Obama bought a $1.65 million home, paying $300,000 less than the asking price, while Rezko's wife paid the full price of $625,000 for the adjacent vacant lot. Both closed on the same day. In January of that year, Obama bought part of that lot from Rezko's wife for $104,500. The purchases came at a time when Rezko's legal problems were becoming public.At the time of the deal, Rezko was deeply in debt; nobody seems to know how he could have afforded the lot next to the Obamas.
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Photo credit: Flickr.
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Rezko's shady kick-back scam
