Black Collar Crime
8 charged in $1.6 million training school scam
By Angela Rozas and Gary Washburn | TRIBUNE REPORTERS
7:28 AM CST, January 26, 2008
The money was supposed to help disadvantaged people get back on track, training them to be carpenters worthy of a union card.
But instead, prosecutors said Friday, three Cook County officials and five others stole $1.6 million in loans and federal money intended for training. As a result, few people ever got the help they needed, authorities alleged.
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Charles Koen, managing director of United Front and copastor of Christian Hope Church, was indicted on charges of organizing a financial crimes enterprise, forgery and other charges in connection with the theft of the training funds. In separate charges brought last year, Koen is accused of stealing more than $500,000 from the United Way of Harvey.
Koen was convicted in 1991 of arson and fraud for setting fire to the United Front headquarters in Cairo in southern Illinois to cover up his theft of government funds.
More:
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-countytheft26jan26,0,5896129.story