Top GOP aide admits fraud

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http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-060329tristano,0,4717400.story

Top GOP aide admits fraud


In a guilty plea that reverberated in state government, a one-time chief of staff to former Republican House leader Lee Daniels admitted Wednesday that he illegally steered up to $200,000 in state money and resources to help GOP candidates.

Michael Tristano, 58, pleaded guilty to one count of fraud and agreed to cooperate with federal authorities in exchange for a recommended sentence of between 12 and 20 months in prison.

As part of that agreement, Tristano has cooperated with a federal investigation of Daniels, a source close to the probe said.

...

The plea agreement did not discuss the nature of Tristano's cooperation. In the plea agreement, Tristano admitted he joined with "others known and unknown" in the scheme from January 1998 to December 2001. Prosecutors also noted in the plea agreement that in his capacities as chief of staff and campaign director, Tristano "reported to and took direction from" Daniels. The agreement did not elaborate.