Former Illinois Home Speaker Michael Madigan has been sentenced to seven and a half years in jail.
Madigan, 83, was convicted earlier this 12 months of fraud, conspiracy, and bribery prices.
He was additionally fined $2.5 million and can be positioned underneath supervised launch for 3 years after serving his sentence.
Resulting from federal sentencing guidelines requiring at the very least 85 % of the time period to be served, he’s probably not eligible for launch till he’s 90.
Throughout sentencing, U.S. District Choose John Robert Blakey described the case as a “story of two Mikes.”
“This case is de facto unhappy, as a result of the defendant is a devoted public servant, aside from the crimes dedicated on this case,” Blakey remarked.
”He’s additionally a very good and respectable individual,” he continued. “He had no cause to commit these crimes, however he selected to take action.”
1/ BREAKING:
Former Illinois Home Speaker Mike Madigan was simply sentenced to 7.5 years in federal jail on corruption prices.
Our workforce spent years exposing his machine.
Right here’s what in the present day means for Illinois, its residents, and its politics. pic.twitter.com/Lqp9p50K3n
— Illinois Coverage (@illinoispolicy) June 13, 2025
Blakey additionally identified how Madigan had lied on the stand, calling it a “nauseating show of perjury and perversion.“
“You lied, sir,” the choose remarked. “You didn’t should.”
Former Illinois Speaker of the Home Michael J. Madigan Sentenced to Seven and a Half Years in Federal Jail After Corruption Conviction @FBIChicago @IRSCI_CHI https://t.co/tX9U2m9l0U
— U.S. Lawyer’s Workplace (NDIL) (@NDILnews) June 13, 2025
In a press release earlier than the choose, Madigan pleaded for mercy and invoked the declining well being of his spouse, Shirley, as a cause to keep away from jail time.
“I’m really sorry for placing the folks of the state of Illinois by way of this,” he stated.
”I attempted to do my finest to serve the folks of the state. I’m not excellent.”
“After I look again on my life, being a speaker shouldn’t be what offers me probably the most delight. I’m most happy with being a very good husband, a very good father and now a very good grandfather.”
“I ask respectfully that you just let me care for Shirley in my days forward, and to let me spend my remaining days with my household.”
Madigan’s request was promptly denied.
The central allegations revolved round a years-long scheme by which Madigan used his highly effective political place to steer state enterprise and laws in trade for monetary kickbacks and favors.
This included pressuring firms like ComEd (Commonwealth Edison) to offer profitable jobs and contracts to his allies and associates in return for favorable laws.
