Sources say FBI joins payroll investigation
At least 9 sheriff ’s office employees tied to allegations
Federal authorities are investigating allegations of ghost-payrolling at the Cook County sheriff ’s office involving at least nine sheriff ’s employees, including one high-ranking official, sources have told the Tribune.
The investigation began last year as an internal probe by Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart’s office. The sheriff’s office said in an emailed statement late Thursday that it had “sought the assistance of the FBI” but did not elaborate.
The investigation is centered on whether the employees collected a county paycheck while at the same time were working side jobs or not working at all, sources said.
Federal agents recently visited the sheriff ’s office to interview employees and review documents as part of the ongoing probe, according to another source. No criminal charges have been filed.
As part of the investigation, the FBI has sought payroll records from a private security firm in Des Plaines that, according to the company’s website, has employed Cook County sheriff ’s office staffers.
The company, Blue Star Security, confirmed to the Tribune this week that it turned over records the FBI requested.
“We are aware of an investigation going on and the FBI did reach out for payroll records which we turned over,” Blue Star said in a Wednesday email. “Other (than) that you should probably direct all questions to either the FBI or sheriff ’s department as we have no further knowledge of the scope of said investigation and were told that Blue Star Security is not at all the subject of such.”
Blue Star Security declined further questions on how many sheriff ’s office employees were also working at the firm, and reiterated the “investigation is in no relation to any wrongdoing done by the company itself.”
The security company’s website also appears to have removed the name and bio of at least one field supervisor from its website this week. That individual recently held a high-ranking leadership role at Cook County Jail.
Matt Walberg, a spokesman for Dart, first said in a statement last week that the office launched an internal investigation in 2021 but did not answer any additional questions on the target or scope of the internal probe or whether any outside agency was also involved.
“An investigation was opened last year by the sheriff ’s office,” Walberg said. “The investigation is ongoing. We cannot comment further at this time.”
Following further Tribune inquiry, the sheriff ’s department released a similar statement Wednesday, confirming only an internal investigation. Dart’s office also did not comment on whether any employee had been removed from active duty in connection to the probe.
“An investigation was opened into personnel related matters last year by the sheriff ’s office. The investigation is ongoing. ... The sheriff’s office always devotes the necessary resources to such investigations. We cannot comment further at this time,” Walberg said in Wednesday’s statement.
Walberg’s third statement to the Tribune late Thursday was the first that acknowledged the FBI’s involvement, which he stressed the sheriff ’s office requested.
The sheriff ’s office “takes allegations of employee misconduct very seriously,” Walberg said.
A spokesperson for the FBI had no comment.
This isn’t the first time Cook County sheriff ’s office employees have drawn attention from investigators during Dart’s tenure. In 2018, a high-ranking aide in Dart’s office took nearly five years of personal leave to work on his private security business while also collecting nearly $90,000 in health benefits that he wasn’t entitled to, a county public watchdog found.
Dart is seeking reelection this year to what would be his fifth term as sheriff. He has four opponents in the June 28 Democratic primary: Carmen Navarro Gercone, Noland Rivera and Kirk Ortiz, all of Chicago, and LaTonya Ruffin of Country Club Hills.