Chicago Heights Library Board Confirms FBI Investigation
Chicago Heights Library Board Confirms FBI Investigation (Chicago Heights, IL) – Although fairly uneventful, tonight’s Chicago Heights Library Board Meeting did garner one particularly interesting piece of information: there is a current FBI investigation.
Library Board Troubles
Last month, former Library Board President Lori Wilcox and former Library Director Kelley Nichols-Brown landed in a sticky predicament when a forensic audit found more than $400,000 in misappropriated funds. At that time, current Chicago Heights Library Board President Jaime Paicely stated that, “The library has a fiduciary responsibility to initiate both civil court action to recuperate unauthorized spending, as well as make a formal referral to the Cook County State’s Attorney for a criminal investigation.” Wilcox, in her position as board president, was to provide oversight, but never did. Wilcox and Nichols-Brown are currently running on the same slate in Bloom Township for Supervisor and Clerk, respectively.
Tonight, it was confirmed that there is an active FBI investigation into those allegedly misappropriated funds.
Connection to the Park District
This news comes on the heels of the Chicago Heights Park District Board meeting where listeners were unable to hear the meeting following the public comments. It appears that the call was intentionally muted to the listeners, which is a violation of the Open Meetings Act. A vote for a forensic audit of park district finances was shot down in that meeting.
It is not yet known if the current investigation into Wilcox and Nichols-Brown will definitely spill over into the park district, but it can be assumed that it will.
This scrutiny into the Chicago Heights Park District’s finances began as a direct result of the Chicago Heights Library Board’s current troubles. Wilcox is the golf course manager of the Chicago Heights Park District’s golf courses. It was discovered that Nichols-Brown’s husband received cleaning contracts through his janitorial company, Clay Custodial, LLC, with both the library and golf courses, despite the buildings being largely closed due to COVID restrictions.
The End for Wilcox and Nichols-Brown’s Political Aspirations?
All-in-all, it appears that the deep well of deception and financial mismanagement allegedly dug by Wilcox and Nichols-Brown is beginning to run dry. Elections for Bloom Township are around the corner and this news does not garner well for the Wilcox slate.
Chicago Heights Library Board Confirms FBI Investigation
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