In the latest federal blow to Ald. Edward Burke, a Lake Forest developer has been indicted on federal bribery charges after he allegedly agreed to steer private legal business to the alderman in connection with a permit request and tax financing deal for a Northwest Side redevelopment project.
Charles Cui, 48, allegedly moved to shift the property tax appeal work to Burke’s law firm after the city denied a request for a permit for a pole sign for a Binny’s Beverage Depot that was part of the project in the Portage Park neighborhood.
That permit was critical to Cui, who was the managing partner of the company that owned the property in the 4900 block of West Irving Park Road, near Six Corners. Without the sign, the company stood to have it’s retail tenant either cancel its lease or reduce its rent payments by as much as $750,000, the indictment indicates. The indictment does not name the business needing the permit, but the address in the indictment is for the Binny’s there.
Burke is not charged or even named in the indictment, which refers to an “Alderman A.” But it leaves no doubt that the official is Burke, noting that Alderman A is the 14th Ward alderman and was chairman of the Finance Committee.
Burke faces separate charges of attempted extortion for allegedly shaking down a Burger King franchise owner for legal work when the businessman needed a permit for a restaurant in his ward. Burke also allegedly asked the business owner to make a $10,000 campaign contribution to Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle. Burke has denied any wrongdoing and couldn’t be reached immediately for comment Friday on the latest allegations.
In a statement Friday, Mayor-elect Lori Lightfoot blasted Burke: “Today’s charges add more definition to the utterly corrupt way in which Ald. Ed Burke has exploited his position and power. This is exactly the kind of conduct that the voters mandated must change. My commitment is that we will be vigilant in cleaning up corruption throughout all of city government.”
As for Cui, when reached by the Sun-Times Friday, he said, “Talk to my lawyer, ok?”
When asked who his attorney is, Cui hung up.
Cui is also an immigration attorney, and his law firm made three donations to Burke political campaign funds: $1,500 recorded on Dec. 19, 2017; $2,500 recorded on May 22, 2018, and $1,500 recorded on Nov. 6, 2018, according to the Illinois State Board of Elections.
Cui’s development project is in the 45th Ward, represented in the City Council by Ald. John Arena, who in 2016 worked with the Chicago Department of Transportation to vacate a city-owned alley to facilitate parking for the development.
Since 2014, Cui has donated $12,650 to Arena’s campaign funds.
Arena couldn’t immediately be reached for comment.
At a City Council meeting in March 2016, Burke motioned to approve the redevelopment project and voted for it, records show. The tax increment financing deal was worth $2 million for the project.
After the city denied the permit for the sign, Cui allegedly emailed Burke, asking him “to look into the matter.”
Cui’s email said the retailer “really needs it, otherwise they will cancel the lease, or ask for significant rent reduction,” according to the indictment.
In August 2017, Cui sent an email to a real estate attorney who had represented Cui on the project, telling him he needed to switch the property tax work over to Burke, according to the indictment.
“I have TIF deal going with the City and he is the chairman of the Finance Committee,” the email reads, according to the feds. “He handled [sic] his tax appeal business card to me, and I need his favor for my tif money. In addition, I need his help for my zoning etc for my project. He is a powerful broker in City Hall, and I need him now. I’ll transfer the case back to you after this year.”
Less than two weeks later, Cui signed a contingency fee agreement with Burke’s law firm to do property tax appeal work, the indictment states.
Public records offer more details, showing that Cui’s company bought the real estate in 2016 and the following year, he hired attorney George Reveliotis to handle the property tax appeals.
But Cui’s company abruptly dropped Reveliotis and had Burke’s daughter, Jennifer Burke, who works at her father’s law firm, file property tax appeals with the Cook County Board of Review for the redevelopment project. The appeals contested the value of the land, but the board declined to change the assessments.
In 2018, Reveliotis got the job back.
Cui is charged with one count of federal program bribery, one count of making a false statement to the FBI and two counts of interstate commerce to facilitate bribery and official misconduct.
Cui allegedly lied to the FBI when agents talked to him on November 29, 2018, in which he told them he hired Burke’s firm “just because he is a good tax appeal lawyer.”
That same day, FBI agents raided the City Hall offices of Burke.
Editor’s note: An earlier version of the story misidentified the business needing the sign permit.
