Robert Creamer, a leading Democratic consultant and the husband of U.S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky, D-Ill., pleaded guilty to a federal bank fraud charge for engineering a check-kiting scheme to keep afloat the Illinois consumer group he once headed, the Chicago Tribune reported.
In addition to the bank fraud charge involving Illinois Public Action, Creamer also admitted guilt involving a federal tax violation for failing to make income-tax withholding payments. Federal prosecutors plan to seek a prison sentence of 41 to 51 months when Creamer is sentenced on Dec. 21. Creamer’s attorney, Ted Poulos, expressed his hope that his client can avoid prison and instead serve his sentence another way, such as home confinement.
Schakowsky formerly worked for Public Action and served as a member of its policy board but has said she was unaware of its financial affairs. She was not charged with any wrongdoing.