COVID-era public health chief fined $150K for ethics violation

By BRIGETTE FOX
Capitol News Illinois
bfox@capitolnewsillinois.com

Former Director of the Illinois Department of Public Health Dr. Ngozi Ezike, who led state health policy during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, will pay a $150,000 fine for violating a state anti-corruption law. 

Ezike violated the State Officials and Employees Ethics Act’s “revolving door” provision in 2022 by accepting a job as CEO of Sinai Chicago, a hospital based on Chicago’s West side.   

The state’s former top doctor admitted to state investigators she was guilty of the violation, according to a report released Friday outlining the almost three-year-long investigation by the state’s Executive Ethics Commission into her taking that job. Ezike could not be reached for comment. 

Under the Ethics Act, a high-level state employee, like Ezike was, can’t take a job with an organization that was subject to certain contracts, licensing or regulatory decisions from the state within one year of leaving their government position. 

Sinai Health System received $4.2 million in grants from IDPH in the year before Ezike left and was the subject of IDPH regulation. 

According to a statement from her legal team in the report, Ezike sought opinions from counsel and an ethics officer for the governor’s office before accepting the position. That counsel told Ezike not to consider the money Sinai Chicago received in grant funding from the IDPH to be “contracts.”

“She thought she was able to accept the job,” Ezike’s legal team wrote in its filing to investigators. “Dr. Ezike accepts responsibility and appreciates the Office of the Attorney General’s role in settling this matter. She also asks the Commission to recognize the challenges for employees navigating the revolving door prohibition.”

The Executive Ethics Commission accepted the $150,000 settlement agreement between Attorney General Kwame Raoul’s office and Ezike.

However, the investigation from the Office of the Executive Inspector General found that “there was not ‘good faith’ or an honest intent to find out whether the revolving door provisions applied.” 

Ezike did not disclose that she’d talked to other government employees about wanting to be hired at Sinai, according to the OEIG.

Ezike contacted the OEIG to let them know she was planning to take the job with Sinai in April 2022 after she left the IDPH in March 2022. However, the OEIG report said she had been interviewing for the position since November of the previous year. 

The office reportedly told Ezike to continue consulting with legal counsel and the IDPH ethics officer during the year after her employment ended.

Capitol News Illinois is a nonprofit, nonpartisan news service that distributes state government coverage to hundreds of news outlets statewide. It is funded primarily by the Illinois Press Foundation and the Robert R. McCormick Foundation

FILE

IMAGE: Dr. Ngozi Ezike, then the director of the Illinois Department of Public Health, is pictured at a news conference in Gov. JB Pritzker’s office. (Capitol News Illinois file photo)

Allendale School Board Notes

At the January 2025 Allendale School Board meeting held in the Library of Allendale School, the board:

Approved the 2024-2025 Certified Seniority List.

Approved the Superintendent Evaluation as presented.

Approved a Resolution to Abate a portion of the Tax Levy concerning the Taxable General Obligation Bond the district currently has. The abated portion will come from the 1% Sales Tax proceeds.

Traffic Stop Leads To DUI Arrest Of Vincennes Man

On 1/11/25, Mt. Carmel Police arrested Kevin R. Webster, age 54, of Vincennes, Indiana for Driving Under the Influence following a traffic stop on a red Toyota in the 1500 block of West 9th Street.  Before the stop, Dispatch received a public complaint about a red Toyota striking the median when pulling into the 9th Street Dollar General entrance.  Officers arrived on scene and found Webster as the driver.  In speaking to Webster, the officer found signs that Webster was intoxicated.  Subsequently, Webster was requested to submit to a roadside sobriety check to which he agreed.  During the check, Webster exhibited numerous clues to indicate impairment.  Webster was placed under arrest and transported to the Wabash County Jail where he was processed for DUI and turned over to jail staff for further processing.  Webster was later released on a Notice to Appear.   

Mt. Carmel Man Faces Domestic Battery Charge Following Sunday Incident

On 1/12/25, Mt. Carmel Police arrested Tanner K. Sisson, age 26, of Mt. Carmel for Domestic Battery following an investigation into a dispute at a residence in the 200 block of N Mulberry Street.  Officers arrived at the scene and found evidence that Sisson had battered a family member by grabbing their arms and pushing them during the incident.  Sisson was arrested and transported to the Wabash County Jail where he was charged and held pending a pre-trial release determination by the court. 

Mt. Carmel Man Faces Several Charges

On 1/12/25, Mt. Carmel Police arrested Gage A. Price, age 20, of Mt. Carmel for Violation of an Order of Protection in the 200 block of E 9th Street.  Prior to the arrest, police had learned that Price had an active Order of Protection against him that had been granted and served to him in Minnesota.  The arresting officer observed Price with the protected party at this location.  Due to this court order being valid, the officer placed Price under arrest and transported him to the Wabash County Jail.  Price was issued his charge and held pending a pre-trial release determination by the court. 

On 1/13/25, Wabash County State’s Attorney Kelli Storckman filed additional charges of Burglary and Theft following an MCPD investigation into Price and a female entering the Mt. Carmel McDonalds after it had shut down due to the winter storm on 1/05/25.   It was alleged that Price made a Facebook post about McDonalds failing to lock one of the doors after closing.  When reviewing store video footage, employees found that Price and the female walked past a store closed sign on the door and made their way around the restaurant including behind the counter, while fixing themselves drinks, unlawfully taking hot chocolate mix packs and whipped cream before leaving the restaurant.  McDonald’s management wished to pursue charges for these offenses and was allowed to do so.  Price remains in custody at the Wabash County Jail.  Additional charges are anticipated against the other involved party. 

Granite City Postal Carrier Sentenced to Prison for Stealing Credit Cards from the Mail

EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill. – A southern Illinois district judge sentenced a postal carrier in Granite City to 32 months in federal prison after she admitted to stealing credit cards from the mail and using for personal expenses.

Lakeatra E. White, 32, of Granite City, pleaded guilty in September 2024 to one count of theft of mail by postal employee, one count of access device fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft. In addition to imprisonment, White will serve three years of supervised release and was ordered to pay $15,209.11 in restitution.

“Mail carriers are entrusted public servants, and postal workers who steal from their customers choose to break that trust,” said U.S. Attorney Rachelle Aud Crowe. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office will continue to partner with the U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General to hold employees committing fraud accountable.”

While employed as a city carrier assistant at the Granite City Post Office, White stole several mail items from customers on her route containing gift cards, credit cards and credit card information.

According to court documents, she stole credit cards belonging to two victims, in which she tried to rack up personal charges estimated at nearly $27,000. During the investigation, White turned over 115 pieces of mail she had stolen to law enforcement.

“This sentencing represents the hard work and dedication by USPS OIG Special Agents working with the U.S. Attorney’s Office to bring charges on this significant mail theft investigation,” said Special Agent in Charge Dennus Bishop, U.S. Postal Service, Office of Inspector General, Central Area Field Office. “The majority of postal employees are hard-working public servants dedicated to moving mail to its proper destination. The USPS OIG, along with our law enforcement partners, remain committed to safeguarding the U.S. Mail and ensuring the accountability and integrity of U.S. Postal Service employees.”

U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General led the investigation, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter Reed prosecuted the case.

Bloomfield man arrested for driving under the influence

On January 12, 2025, AT 3:08 p.m. Gibson County Deputy Eric Powell conducted a traffic stop on a Black Chevy Impala traveling in excess of 90 mph on Interstate 69 near the 34.5 mile marker near Oakland City.  Upon approaching the vehicle Deputy Powell detected clues that the driver 59 year old Dwight Weedon of Bloomfield, Indiana might be under the influence of an unknown intoxicant.  At that point Deputy Powell began a roadside OWI investigation.  At the conclusion of his investigation he placed Mr. Weedon into custody and transported him to the Gibson County Jail where he was charged with Operating a Vehicle While Intoxicated, Possession of Marijuana, and Possession of Paraphernalia. 
 
Assisting Deputy Powell in his investigation was Sgt. Loren Barchett, Deputies Wes Baumgart and Wyatt Hunt, and Oakland City Police Chief Tim Gaines.
 
All criminal defendants are to be presumed innocent until, and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

Allendale Tower Garden

8th grade students in Mr. Waldroup's Science class at Allendale School have planted their first Tower Garden crop. Trish Bellmore with Greater Wabash Food Council has been instrumental in helping with this project to incorporate Science, Agriculture, Botany, and Food Science into the curriculum. We are excited to see this project through the next few months.