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Feds: Red Light Camera Firm Paid For Chicago Official's Car, Condo

Posted by samzenpus on from the red-light-red-light dept.

An anonymous reader writes "The former CEO of Redflex, a major red light camera vendor, and John Bills, former Managing Deputy Commissioner at the Department of Transportation, have been indicted on federal corruption charges stemming from a contract with the City of Chicago. According to the indictment, a friend of Bills was hired as a contractor and paid $2 million. Much of that money was then kicked back to Bills, who also got a Mercedes and a condominium via Redflex employees. The defendants are facing 23 counts including: mail fraud, wire fraud, and bribery. Each fraud count carries a maximum sentence of 20 years."

4 of 115 comments (clear)

  1. Pretty obvious by mbone · · Score: 5, Insightful

    What, you think that these cameras were set up after a careful consideration of how to balance the needs and rights of the citizenry against the desire to improve traffic conditions? No, it's based on lobbying by the camera sales staff, promising easy money in return for a right to prey on the citizenry. This being Chicago, some of the easy money was kicked-back to the local politicians, but the process isn't really that much different in regions where there is enough moral fiber for the state to keep all of the proceeds.

    1. Re:Pretty obvious by FatdogHaiku · · Score: 5, Funny

      Is it ironic that moral fiber has become irregular?

      --
      You have the right to remain sentient. If you give up the right to remain sentient, you will be elected to public office
  2. Well duh by Ol+Olsoc · · Score: 5, Interesting
    Red light cameras have been known to be a cash cow for cities, a way to generate revenue.

    And just like for for profit prisons, they have to generate more money each quarter. It's the way of business. Which is why neither should be done on a for profit mode

    We've already had examples of shortening yellow light duration to make certain that more people are fined, more profits. This has already caused rear ending crashes to increase as people bitten once jam on the sprags once they see the yellow light. (not to excuse tailgating - it shouldn't be done.

    And the amount of revenue generated has to be significant if they consider expensive cars and condos as a cost of doing business.

    But after doing things like shortening yellow lights to increase profit, what's next? Hey who knows? Maybe hire a few graphic artists and do matching of redlight cam photos and photoshop license plates on 'em of owners of similar cars.

    Technology is awesome! But the shareholders must be served.

    --
    The shepherds did so well protecting the flock that the sheep no longer believed that wolves existed.
  3. Re:our presidents origin story by Charliemopps · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Trust me, Chicago is worse. The thing is, Chicago corruption is efficient. You pay this person X and you get Y. Very simple and strait forward. Things get done. It's an infection but it's not killing the host. What I've seen of New Orleans is corruption that doesn't work. Things don't get done.