Ex-Blago aide: We talked about profiting on S. Loop project

Crain's Chicago Business reports:

Former Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s chief of staff, Lon Monk, talked to Mr. Blagojevich and Antoin “Tony” Rezko about how they could make money from a proposed mixed-used development in the South Loop, according to Mr. Monk’s agreement to plead guilty to a federal fraud charge. In 2004 or later, Mr. Rezko, who was a co-developer of a massive, vacant site at Roosevelt Road and Clark Street discussed how they could personally profit from the deal with Messrs. Monk and Blagojevich and former Blagojevich fundraiser Christopher Kelly. Two ideas: Have Mr. Blagojevich’s wife, Patti Blagojevich, market the development or have Mr. Monk work on it after leaving state government, according to the plea agreement, filed this week. Mr. Monk believed Mr. Kelly had invested in the development, the agreement says. The project was never built. Mr. Rezko has been convicted on unrelated corruption charges and is awaiting sentencing; Mr. Blagojevich has pleaded not guilty to an indictment against him, with a trial set for next year. Mr. Kelly, who had pleaded guilty to tax and other fraud charges, killed himself last month in a drug overdose.

No word yet from Alderman Burke on this one. We are pretty sure Alderman Burke has knowledge about Tony Rezko and vacant land in the South Loop.