Cashed Checks? Loan Payments? Fraudulent reporting? Do the Federal authorities know the truth?

 Illinois (ECWd)

The D2 filing for Frank Mautino’s campaign reflected a lot of loan payments for loans that did not exist according to the paperwork.  In reviewing the Joe & Harry payments some of those loan checks jumped out at me.

Loan Payments, which we have covered extensively with the limited documentation available at the time, is even more concerning now that we can see the checks written.

• 8-31-2015 D-2 reporting – “Principal Payment” – Spring Valley Bank – $10,000; The Check was written for $10,374.24 however it was not a “Principal Payment” as reflected in the D2 report.  Spring Valley Bank information reflect this check was cashed. Why the discrepancy on the check written and the reporting on the D2?  Where did all this money really go?  Why did the D2 not show the $374.24 above the $10K figure reported?
• 8-30-2015 D-2 reporting – “Principal Payment” – Spring Valley Bank – $10,000; The Check was written for $5,457.82 however, it was not a “Principal Payment” as reflected in the D2 report.  Spring Valley Bank information reflect this check was cashed. Why the discrepancy on the check written and the reporting on the D2?  Where did all this money really go?  Why did the D2 show the $457.82 as an interest payment when the check was actually cashed?
  
• 8-30-2010 D-2 reporting – “Principal Payment” – Spring Valley Bank – $8,000; The Check was written for $8,290.40 however, it was not a “Principal Payment” as reflected in the D2 report.  Spring Valley Bank information reflect this check was cashed. Why the discrepancy on the check written and the reporting on the D2?  Where did all this money really go?  Why did the D2 not show the $290.40 above the $8K figure reported?

Although prior D2 reporting reflects thousands more in loan payments, it appears the Spring Valley Bank did not provide records prior to September of 2009 as it relates to the current campaign expenditure complaint against Mautino.  We do not know if those records have been captured by the Federal Authorities or not but suspect if the check cashing scheme and reporting irregularities are the same for those, Mautino may be facing a very serious problem.  We suspect that is, in fact, the case in light of him invoking his Fifth Amendment right. The pattern we see in the three payments we do have records for may well be consistent with prior payment reporting.

In this article we closed with this statement; Bottom line appears to be there is a substantial difference in loan payments versus loans received.

Now, after obtaining the actual checks, we see a difference in the reporting of claimed loans compared to the checks written.  Interestingly, the checks point to it not being a loan payment at all as these checks were cashed.

Does anyone cash a check to make a loan payment instead of just making the check out for the loan payment?  Who makes payments beyond the loans taken out?

These transactions and their reporting are highly suspicious and point to fraudulent reporting and possible money laundering if these cashed checks were not used as actual loan payments.

One can only wonder when our State Auditor General is going to step down, which must happen if he refuses to answer questions related to highly irregular campaign spending practices.

Will Mautino be yet another Illinois political figure that serves two terms, one in office and one in prison?  The US Attorney has been investigating this matter since February of 2016 and we can only wonder if they will ever move forward with indictments or bury this one in a file for reasons the public will never know.

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