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It's looking more and more likely that Andy Shaw KILLED the Chicago Better Government Association's (BGA) story about a major WORKMEN'S COMP Scheme in Sheriff Tom Dart's Cook County Sheriff organization?
SEE UPDATE BELOW
Kevin Connelly, is First Assistant Chief Deputy is second in command in the entire Cook County Sheriff's Deputy division.
His sister Karin Connelly is a workers comp attorney from the firm Ridge and Associates.
A tip of this information was forwarded to the BGA, stating that Karin Connelly is representing in excess of 20 deputies suing the Sheriff's office in worker's comp claims. One deputy was even willing to talk to the BGA off the record that he was pressured in a phone call to take Karin Connelly as his comp attorney....OR ELSE....
Patrick Rehkamp of the BGA pulled FOIA's and said he was going to run the story.
At the last minute the story was pulled.
This had Andy Shaw written all over it.
This was a huge story and someone above Renkamp pulled the plug.
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These ALLEGED allegations need to be investigated. Workmen's Comp fraud is a MULTI-MILLION DOLLAR bill being placed on the taxpayers of Cook County.
UPDATE:
Kevin Connelly was allegedly manipulating evictions for years before Dart promoted him from Chief of Civil to his current salary of $114,230.00 as First Chief Deputy Sheriff. When Co-Workers put in an Internal Affairs about the eviction rigging it was swept under the rug and at least one supervisor was targeted by Connelly. You need to do FOIA to find out how many she has. Also, many of the deputies who hired Karin Connelly where then promoted or transferred into cush street units by her brother Kevin Connelly. FACT
http://legacy.cookcountygov.com/secretary/committees/Finance/finance.html
JOSEPH T. CAPPELLO, in the course of his employment as a Deputy Sheriff for the Sheriff’s Court Services Division sustained accidental injuries on November 9, 2009. The Petitioner was involved in an altercation with an arrestee, and as a result he injured his ankle (fracture of the left lateral malleolus, and development of deep vein thrombosis). Prior/pending claims: none. State's Attorney, Anita Alvarez, is submitting Workers' Compensation Commission Lump Sum Petition and Order No. 09-WC-47409 in the amount of $35,000.00 and recommends its payment. (Finance Subcommittee November 3, 2010). Attorney: Karin K. Connelly, Law Firm of James M. Ridge & Associates, P.C.
LAWRENCE OSTROWSKI, in the course of his employment as a Deputy Sheriff for the Sheriff’s Court Services Division sustained accidental injuries on November 23, 2007. While performing push-ups during a boot camp training session, the Petitioner experienced sudden and severe pain in his shoulder, and as a result he injured his shoulder (right shoulder strain/sprain; acromioclavicular joint (AC) arthralgia of the right shoulder; right shoulder superior labrum anterior and posterior (SLAP) arthralgia). State's Attorney, Anita Alvarez, is submitting Workers' Compensation Commission Lump Sum Petition and Order No. 08-WC-56359 in the amount of $15,465.13 and recommends its payment. This settlement is within the grant of authority conveyed by the Cook County Board of Commissioners to the State's Attorney's Office. Attorney: Karin K. Connelly, Law Firm of James M. Ridge & Associates, P.C.
JOSEPH BENNETT, in the course of his employment as a Warrants and Evictions Officer for the Sheriff’s Court Services Division sustained accidental injuries on June 28, 2004. The Petitioner was attempting to arrest a person and fell, and as a result he injured his right hand (fracture of the right fifth metacarpal neck). State's Attorney, Richard A. Devine, is submitting Industrial Commission Lump Sum Petition and Order No. 04-WC-32843 in the amount of $13,222.81 and recommends its payment. (Finance Subcommittee March 15, 2005). Attorney: Karin K. Connelly, Law Firm of James M. Ridge & Associates, P.C. Charley Mentz, in the course of his employment as a Deputy Sheriff, sustained accidental injuries on February 14, 2011. The Petitioner slipped on ice and fell, and as a result he injured his hand (fracture of the right hand) Prior claims none. State's Attorney, Anita Alvarez, is submitting Workers' Compensation Commission Lump Sum Petition and
Order No. 11-WC-06942 in the amount of $20,440.14 and recommends its payment. (Finance Subcommittee November 1 2011). Attorney: Karin K. Connelly, Law Firm of James M. Ridge & Associates, P.C.
JESSICA KOZLAR, in the course of her employment as a Correctional Officer for the Department of Corrections sustained accidental injuries on April 3, 2005. The Petitioner was trying to restrain an inmate, and as a result she injured her arm (right forearm tendinitis). State's Attorney, Richard A. Devine, is submitting Workers' Compensation Commission Lump Sum Petition and Order No. 05-WC-24496 in the amount of $9,733.61 and recommends its payment. This settlement is within the grant of authority conveyed by the Cook County Board of Commissioners to the State's Attorney's Office. Attorney: Karin K. Connelly, Law Firm of James M. Ridge & Associates, P.C. EDWARD C. FLORY, in the course of his employment as a Deputy Sheriff (Process Server) for the Sheriff’s Court Services Division sustained accidental injuries on October 13, 2006. The accident occurred when the Petitioner was in pursuit of a defendant when he stepped on a beer bottle, twisted his
left knee and fell, and as a result he injured his left knee (partial tear of the anterior cruciate ligament and a tear of the posterior horn of the medial meniscus). State's Attorney, Richard A. Devine, is submitting Workers' Compensation Commission Lump Sum Petition and Order No. 06-WC-50494 in the amount of $15,763.02 and recommends its payment. This settlement is within the grant of authority conveyed by the Cook County Board of Commissioners to the State's Attorney's Office. Attorney: Karin K. Connelly, Law Firm of James M. Ridge & Associates, P.C.
JENNIFER DIAZ, in the course of her employment as a Lieutenant for the Sheriff’s Court Services Division sustained accidental injuries on June 12, 2008. The Petitioner bent over to search a detainee and felt a sharp pain in her back, and as a result she injured her lower back (bulging discs L3-L4 and L4-L5, left paramedian disc herniation at L5-S1, and central annular tear at L4-L5). State’s Attorney, Anita Alvarez, is submitting Workers’ Compensation Commission Lump Sum Petition and Order No. 08-WC-29475 in the amount of $9,000.00 and recommends its payment. This settlement is within the grant of authority conveyed by the Cook County Board of Commissioners to the State’s Attorney’s Office. Attorney: Karin K. Connelly, Law Firm of James M. Ridge & Associates, P.C.o Mail.
David Nardi, Karin Connelly
Deputy Terrence Bracken, Attorney Karin Connelly.
Deputy Elizabeth Potter , Attorney Karin Connelly
Deputy Larry Ostrowski, Karin Connelly.
Deputy John Darge over 90k Settlement in multiple settlements, Karin Connelly.
Deputy Charley Mentz
At least 14 more pending cases all Deputies under Connelly's Command.
Dart on Workers Comp Fraud in his office.
"Sheriff Tom Dart said he wants to hire a private law firm to speed up the review of workers compensation claims and weed out fraudulent cases. He said few prosecutors are assigned to look into the claims. "While I understand the difficulties of managing the multitude of workers compensation claims filed by county employees, it is clear the system is failing and must be overhauled," Dart said. Dart estimated that the sheriff’s office pays out about $8 million a year in compensation claims".
Let me clear I am not alleging or have any compelling evidence that any of these cases are fraudulent claims, but at the very least a huge conflict of interest in the Connelly cases. Kevin must step down from his post if his sister is representing multiple subordinates under his command. However is compelling evidence that Deputies who took Karin as attorney benefited in their professional positions.
