Jan. 15--A former top executive from a politically connected taxi company was sentenced Thursday to a year and a day in federal prison for filing fraudulent paperwork to obtain clean titles for salvaged vehicles that were later used in the city as cabs.
Alexander Igolnikov, 68, of Northbrook, pleaded guilty last year to charges in connection with his role in a scheme to get salvaged Ford Crown Victorias the proper paperwork to be used as cabs.
Working with two others -- one a police officer -- Igolnikov helped obtain fake paperwork so his salvaged cars could get "rebuilt" titles from Indiana. Then he and his associates would place a sticker over the "rebuilt" section of the Indiana titles and use those modified documents to get clear titles in Illinois.
That false paperwork cleared the cars to be used as cabs even though city taxi medallion rules prohibit salvaged and rebuilt vehicles.
In court, the assistant U.S. attorneys said Igolnikov obtained at least 112 fraudulent titles for vehicles. His attorney, Edward Genson, said Igolnikov knew of 14 salvaged vehicles with false paperwork and should have known there were others. Prosecutors were seeking a sentence of two years in prison.
At the sentencing before U.S. District Judge Edmond E. Chang, Igolnikov, wearing a conservative gray suit and striped tie, said he had shamed his family and was embarrassed by what he had done.
"I'm very sorry for all of my bad decisions. I make no excuse," he said. "I let them all down. I feel I've failed. I'm so embarrassed ... in pain all the time," he said, reading from his written statement.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven Dollear told the judge that Igolnikov put passengers at risk by placing vehicles on the road that were banned with good reason. No one was injured in one of Igolnikov's cabs, but he knew he was breaking the rules, Dollear said.
"For three years the defendant put over 100 salvaged vehicles on the streets of Chicago ... through a series of lies and false documents," Dollear said. "This is a serious crime. The defendant has little respect for the law."
Chang said that in making his decision he considered that Igolnikov had no criminal past and had the support of his family. He said he also considered the defendant's age and health. But the crime was committed and repeated over several years, Chang said, and likely would have continued had there been no arrest.
Igolnikov is expected to surrender to authorities in February.
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