Cook County Commissioner William Beavers convicted of tax evasion in less than 2 hours

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/ct-met-william-beavers-trial-0322-20130322,0,3796401.story

Prosecutors contended that Beavers used his campaign funds from 2006 through 2008 as if they were cash machines, blowing the money at slot machines on frequent visits to the Horseshoe Casino. He also was charged with failing to pay taxes on a $68,000 campaign check that he deposited into his city pension to double his monthly payout and a combined $28,800 in monthly stipends he received from the county.

The government argued that Beavers decided to cheat on his income taxes in those three years after getting socked with a $27,000 tax bill in 2005 when he reported $43,000 in campaign money that he spent on himself.

But casino records — his betting was tracked electronically because he used his VIP player's card in the slots — showed he lost a combined $477,000 over the three years.