UPDATE to a scoop Christy Gutowski and I had last year: An ICE agent whose DUI arrest after a shift in Broadview drew headlines during Operation Midway Blitz pleaded guilty Friday to an amended charge of reckless driving. www.chicagotribune.com/2026/06/26/i...

Alexander Iniguez Mercado, 20, of Chicago, is charged with obstructing an FBI investigation into an alleged plot to attack the UFC event at the White House with drones and high-powered weapons. He was arrested Thursday and will appear in court at 3 pm: STORY: www.chicagotribune.com/2026/06/26/c...

JUST IN: Chicago man charged with obstruction of justice stemming from an alleged plot to attack the UFC event at the White House with drones:

NEW: Anthony Alvarez was indicted on Oct. 23 on charges of impeding Midway Blitz agents. The same grand jury also indicted the Broadview Six that day -- after getting an earful from U.S. Attorney Andrew Boutros. Now Alvarez's felony conviction is on the rocks: www.chicagotribune.com/2026/06/25/f...

JUST IN: The feds say ex-Loretto Hospital exec Anosh Ahmed should NOT be allowed to join in a motion to dismiss his indictment because he's a fugitive who knew he was under investigation when he left for Dubai in 2024: "Federal courts do not play 'catch me if you can'"

Daniel Robinson attorney Mike Leonard: “It appears to us that he and his company have been unfairly targeted without a legitimate basis. The company was continuously subject to audits, both from private insurance carriers and the government.”

NEW: The owner of an Oak Lawn methadone clinic is charged in a massive Medicare fraud scheme that allegedly funded an extravagant lifestyle, including luxury cars, diamonds and a 44-foot Italian yacht named Butt Nekkid docked at Chicago’s 31st St. harbor www.chicagotribune.com/2026/06/23/f...

I suppose I always knew that if I stuck around the Chicago federal beat long enough, I'd eventually get to write a fraud story about a yacht named "Butt Nekkid." That day is today. Story coming soon

A year after a deadly mass shooting at her album release party, Chicago rapper Mello Buckzz faces a new gun charge, while her dad has pleaded guilty to a federal weapons violation. “They can’t hold a real (expletive) down for too long” www.chicagotribune.com/2026/06/22/m... @samjcharles.bsky.social

Saying he was interested in upholding the “presumption of regularity” for his office, U.S. Atty Andrew Boutros drops charges in an arson case after discovering grand jury irregularities by the same prosecutor who handled the “Broadview Six” probe Story: www.chicagotribune.com/2026/06/22/a...

U.S. District Judge Robert Gettleman just granted Boutros' motion to dismiss. That's 10 defendants in all who have seen charges disappear since the Broadview case imploded

Here is what Boutros says about the irregularities before the grand jury in the arson case he just dropped, including ex parte comments from the prosecutor about news reports on her other big case against Loretto Hospital executives "Most of them aren't as smart as they think"

JUST IN: The U.S. Attorney's Office has now dropped this arson case with prejudice, meaning it cannot be refiled. They reveal the same prosecutor from the "Broadview Six" case told this grand jury: “white-collar guys think they are the smartest in the world.”

JUST IN: The Tribune has obtained video of an undercover ATF-led sting that led to two suspects being shot in Country Club Hills. Charges were abruptly dropped after the footage contradicted a sworn complaint by federal agents www.chicagotribune.com/2026/06/19/c... @samjcharles.bsky.social

Statement from the U.S. Attorney’s Office:

JUST IN: Federal prosecutors have abruptly dropped charges against three men accused of robbing undercover agents during a gun transaction in Country Club Hills after video surfaced that allegedly called the account of one of the agents into question

Attorney Damon Cheronis told the Tribune that criminal defense attorneys who regularly practice at Chicago’s federal courthouse feel like Chief Brody from the movie “Jaws.” “We underestimated the problem and now we’re gonna need a bigger boat.” www.chicagotribune.com/2026/06/18/a...

JUST IN: There are new allegations of grand jury misconduct by the federal prosecutor in the “Broadview Six” case, this time in an arson case where she allegedly vouched for the strength of the evidence and made improper comments about her personal opinions:

A transcript of the FBI agent's testimony in the "Broadview Six" grand jury proceedings has been made public The agent normally worked violent crimes, "to include bank robberies, fugitives, kidnappings." Instead they had him searching Instagram and Googling things like "guitar girl Broadview ICE" 👇

I'm not worried at all. That rainy day fund Mayor Daley scrupulously set aside to protect taxpayers when he sold off the meters has surely been sitting in an account earning interest for like 16 years now, right? Right? 🙁 www.chicagotribune.com/2026/06/16/c...

This story has UPDATED with U.S. Attorney Andrew Boutros saying he "fully" supports investigations by the Illinois ARDC and DOJ into the Broadview Six prosecution -- and calls a letter from Democrat U.S. Rep. Jamie Raskin "incomplete, ill-informed, and severely distorted."

NEW: Lawyers for the “Broadview Six” late Tuesday asked a federal judge to appoint special counsel to investigate alleged wrongdoing by the U.S. Attorney’s Office — and possibly prosecute for contempt of court. “No one can credibly investigate themselves.” www.chicagotribune.com/2026/06/17/b...

JUST IN: Lawyers for the “Broadview Six” are asking a federal judge to appoint special counsel to investigate alleged wrongdoing by the U.S. attorneys office — and possibly prosecute for contempt of court. Background: www.chicagotribune.com/2026/06/10/b...

It was a real pleasure to be with Brian Mackey on “The 21st Show” today to talk about the “Broadview Six” case and the grand jury scandal that has enveloped the Dirksen U.S. Courthouse: will.illinois.edu/player/audio...

A 7th Circuit opinion citing "compelling" evidence in the case against ex-ComEd CEO Anne Pramaggiore and lobbyist Michael McClain means the U.S. attorney’s office has a tough decision to make. Could there be a retrial? No one's saying yet. Story: www.chicagotribune.com/2026/06/15/f...

Statement from the US Attorney's Office: Because the Seventh Circuit has stated that the government is ‘entitled to retry’ both defendants ‘at its discretion,’ we are weighing our options and will advise the District Court of our decision at the appropriate time.”

JUST IN: The 7th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals says there was ample evidence against former ComEd CEO Anne Pramaggiore and lobbyist Michael McClain and that prosecutors are free to retry them if they want. “We are not suggesting that Pramaggiore and McClain are innocent”

Shortly after Judge Sharon Johnson Coleman asked repeatedly about U.S. Attorney Andrew Boutros' whereabouts, they wound up in the same courtroom together: at the swearing-in ceremony of Magistrate Judge Albert Berry III That's some federal court irony www.chicagotribune.com/2026/06/12/f...

One year ago today:

“If there is a one-man show, it is the U.S. attorney,” Coleman said. “He decides….that’s why he got the big job. But he’s not here.” Judge grants dismissal of fraud charges, calls out US Attorney Andrew Boutros over grand jury wrongdoing www.chicagotribune.com/2026/06/12/f...

JUST IN: Judge agrees to dismiss the charges for two defendants in a COVID-19 fraud case, but says a "Pandora's box" has been opened over the U.S. attorney's office grand jury scandal. She also asked "Where is Mr. Boutros?"

Judge Sharon Johnson Coleman has taken the bench for a hearing on the government's motion to dismiss this case against two defendants. Will an evidentiary hearing into grand jury wrongdoing go forward anyway? Stay tuned: www.chicagotribune.com/2026/06/12/f...

JUST IN: Judge Sharon Johnson Coleman has set an in-person hearing for 2 p.m. today on the government's motion to dismiss

On Wednesday, a federal judge warned prosecutors that there was only one way for the U.S. attorney’s office to avoid an evidentiary hearing next week into alleged grand jury misconduct — and that they knew very well what it was. A day later, it was done. www.chicagotribune.com/2026/06/12/f...

///BREAKING/// Another case bites the dust in the wake of the “Broadview Six” scandal, as prosecutors move to dismiss charges with prejudice against two defendants in a COVID-19 fraud scandal tied to former Loretto Hospital exec Anosh Ahmed

JUST IN: The feds have charged three people in the attempted armed robbery of undecover agents during a gun transaction in Country Club Hills, which ended with agents shooting two of the suspects www.chicagotribune.com/2026/06/10/c...

UPDATE: In the latest "Broadview Six" fallout, a federal judge overseeing a high-profile COVID-19 testing fraud case has ordered what would be a bombshell evidentiary hearing into potential misconduct by the U.S. attorney's office No witness is off limits: www.chicagotribune.com/2026/06/10/b...

JUST IN: Judge Sharon Johnson Coleman sets June 17 for an evidentiary hearing into grand jury issues in a COVID-19 fraud case involving the same prosecutor as "Broadview Six." "There are a lot of people in your sphere that I am assuming are going to be asked to come testify," judge tells prosecutors

And now more fallout, as Judge Sharon Johnson Coleman has canceled July 9 trial date in a fraud case involving the co-defendants of ex-Loretto Hospital exec Anosh Ahmed. Coleman had set today as a prerial conference date but says "it got hijacked"

NEW: Hours before the release of grand jury transcripts in the “Broadview Six” case, the fallout was front-and-center in an unrelated fraud case where a judge had this to say: “The front office has created. a credibility crisis, and that is a real problem” www.chicagotribune.com/2026/06/10/b...

Today’s front (expletive) page. www.chicagotribune.com/2026/06/09/b...

When a "Broadview Six" grand juror asked if everyone who walked in front of the agent's car could be charged with a conspiracy, the prosecutor scolded: "I don’t want to answer hypotheticals. We charged only people who were actually doing things.” UPDATE: www.chicagotribune.com/2026/06/09/b...

Read the transcripts: 'Broadview Six' grand jury transcripts released showing alleged misconduct by prosecutors www.chicagotribune.com/2026/06/09/r...

The improper "vouching" for the Broadview Six indictment allegedly began just a minute into the very first grand jury session, when prosecutor Sheri Mecklenburg told the panel they should trust she "would never ask you to charge somebody if I didn't think there was probable cause"

"I heard this case like last week and I thought it was a crock of s--- then and I still think it is” Broadview Six grand jury transcripts released showing rancor, alleged misconduct by prosecutors in controversial indictment of Midway Blitz protesters UPDATE: www.chicagotribune.com/2026/06/09/b...

Grand juror: "I heard this case like last week and I thought it was a crock of shit then and I still think it is." Prosecutor: I kind of had that impression from last week, but thank you....

///BREAKING/// The Broadview Six grand jury transcripts are public. I'm taking a look at Oct. 16, 2025, the session that allegedly ended with "tension" and jurors being removed.

JUST IN: The feds indict ex-CHA property director Ryan Ross with taking $421,000 in kickbacks from the owner of a construction company for steering nearly $5 million in construction contracts at CHA sites. Ross was fired amid an IG probe, the Tribune reported: www.chicagotribune.com/2025/02/03/c...

JUST IN: As he challenges extradition from jail in Serbia, former Loretto Hospital exec Anosh Ahmed is joining a push to dismiss a sprawling COVID-19 fraud indictment against him because it was handled by the same prosecutor as Broadview Six.

'Broadview Six' grand jury transcripts to be released today showing alleged misconduct by prosecutors, shining a rare light on what is typically a secretive process 👇 www.chicagotribune.com/2026/06/09/b...