North Cook News

Charles Hutchinson, a candidate for Illinois state House District 18, has claimed that hundreds of state employees have defrauded the people of Illinois. According to Hutchinson, who is set to challenge incumbent Democrat Robyn Gabel in the upcoming general election, over $7 million was illicitly appropriated.

"275 State Employees defrauded the people of Illinois," said Hutchinson, according to Facebook. "Over $7,000,000.00 Stolen. Do You Trust Springfield?"

Hutchinson's allegations were detailed in a Facebook post where he shared a link to an article from the Chicago Tribune. The article discussed the findings of the Executive Inspector General, which revealed 275 instances of state employees misrepresenting themselves to receive funds from the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP).

Screenshot of Charles Hutchinson's May 3 Facebook post | Charles Hutchinson's campaign Facebook page

According to the May 2 article, one individual from the Department of Human Services (DHS) claimed his car wash business generated "$110,000 in a year" but later admitted that the venture had no customers or income. Another DHS employee reported a six-figure income from a beauty salon and later informed investigators that she didn't consider it a business as she only made "$20 to $40 per month doing hair for friends and family." When interrogated by investigators, she justified her actions by stating she "did what everyone else was doing at the time to get money."

The DHS informed the Chicago Tribune that several employees had been dismissed due to these findings by the Inspector General. Public investigative reports have been released for 13 employees who confessed they paid someone else to complete their PPP paperwork. Each of these individuals claimed nearly $100,000 in small business income to secure $20,000 loans, with many using these funds for routine expenses such as groceries and fuel.

David Nanz, an FBI special agent overseeing the Springfield office, described this situation as "the largest theft of money in the history of the world." Nanz further stated that "there is nothing that comes close when you look at all the programs under the CARES Act."

Hutchinson is a lawyer based in Wilmette with deep community ties through various roles. His community involvement includes serving as the President of the Chamber of Commerce, Chairman of the Historic Preservation Commission, and a Board member for the Wilmette Theatre. As stated on his website, Hutchinson's candidacy is driven by a shared goal of strengthening community bonds and advocating for key issues such as parental rights, education, neighborhood safety, and tax reduction.