Chicago Illinois convicted Judge Jessica Arong O’Brien is a typical example of how judges commonly abuse their power and hide their bribery and embezzlement via property loans. It’s been proven and verified that judge’s financial records prove many judges are bribed via property loans.
How to research if your judge is being bribed
The problem and real crime here is the reluctance of government, FBI, DOJ and other agencies to act when judges are reported or exposed in ongoing legal cases. Victims often have their lives destroyed, life savings stolen via fraudulent legal fees extorted by the courts and lawyers as victims are sucked into our broken legal system.
The other scary fact is this judge was in bed with another judge she was married to Chicago Cook County Judge Brendan O’brien. How is anyone to believe he did not know what was going on for over several years and perhaps was part of a cover up which is very common among judges and lawyers today?
Judges are just lawyers who found or bought their way to the bench which rewards them with immunity and protection making them “Above the law”. Often this position or power goes to their heads and the crimes and abuse get out of hand. The greed and dishonesty is at the heart of why our legal system is out of control and broken today.
Judge Jessica Arong O’Brien is a fraud and criminal who belongs in prison for life not the slap on her hand given by her friends of the courts. The fact is he exposed crimes mean there could be other victims from cases she was involved in and more victims. The problem is the good ole boy system is at work that protects and covers their own. It’s a similar broken system as police and the code of silence between Police officers. It’ a well known fact lawyers go to school together, associate together in every aspect of their lives so they’re no objective when it comes to dealing with the crimes of their own.
O’Brien’s rags-to-riches life story became a staple for media coverages, earning her accolades and awards from prestigious organizations. She also turned, for a while, into the mini-celebrity to be invited to deliver inspirational talks before professional and educational institutions.
Lawyers Behaving Badly: Two Arongs Don’t Make a Right
It was pretty bad when Chicago judge Jessica Arong O’Brien was found guilty on federal charges of mortgage fraud. It was worse when she refused to give up her seat on the Cook County bench for more than six months after the conviction, continuing to draw a paycheck even after losing her law license.
MORE INFO ON BRIBARY AND JUDGES
Bribe a Judge
Easy to bribe a Judge
Lawyer Exposes almost all Los Angeles Superior court judges accept bribes
How to research if your judge is being bribed
AUDIO
Indictment
Her indictment, which was carried by major news outlets, stated that O’Brien and a fellow defendant, Maria Bartko, 49, allegedly concealed relevant facts from lenders including Citibank, New Century Mortgage Corp. and First Magnus Financial Corp. to obtain more than $1.4 million in mortgages on two investment properties in Chicago that she and Bartko had purchased in 2004 and sold in 2007.
While O’Brien was working, then, as a special assistant attorney general for the Illinois Department of Revenue, she also reportedly held the position of chief counsel to the Illinois Lottery. She also worked as a part-time loan officer at Amronbanc Mortgage Corporation in Lincolnwood, Illinois where Bartko was a loan originator.
At the same time, the future judge also owned O’Brien Realty, LLC, where the indictment alleged, she falsely stated in her application that she had a profit of $100,000. In addition, she falsely stated that she made $6,800 a month as an Illinois Department of Revenue attorney.
Further, federal prosecutors alleged that she and Bartko omitted in their loan application a $260,000 loan that they owed on another property they had previously bought.
Charges
O’Brien and Bartko were charged with one count of mail fraud affecting a financial institution. Prosecutors alleged that O’Brien mailed a check for $297,208.96 via UPS to Chase Bank in relation to their scheme to defraud—a federal offense.
O’Brien was also charged with one count of bank fraud resulting from O’Brien’s false loan declarations that caused Citibank to give her a $72,000 loan for the purchase of one of the investment properties cited in her case against them—another federal violation, according to the prosecutors. Their statement in the indictment indicated that each carries a punishment of up to 30 years in prison.
Jessica Arong O’Brien came from Cebu to America at the age of 16. She has a bachelor’s degree in hotel and food administration from Boston University. She landed a top managerial position with a multinational company supervising thousands of employees involved in food preparation.
O’Brien has served in roles where she oversaw prospective lawyers and helped select judges, including a term on the Illinois Supreme Court’s “Character and Fitness Committee,” which examines candidates who apply to join the state bar.
In a 2016 profile on O’Brien for ABC-Channel 7, her boss, Judge Timothy Evans, called O’Brien “open … optimistic … tenacious” and “committed to justice,” adding “we want to see more like her.”
O’Brien is to be arraigned at 10 a.m. (CST) on Thursday, April 20 before U.S. Magistrate Judge Sheila Finnegan. An executive review board headed by Cook County Chief Judge Timothy Evans with 17 Cook County judges as members, will subsequently decide if O’Brien be removed as a judge.
Irony
In another irony for the local community, the Fil-Am Lawyers Association of Illinois which O’Brien co-founded and headed, was holding a seminar on “How to avoid investment scams” on April 12—the day when she was indicted.
Efforts to get comments from Judge O’Brien and from her colleagues went unheeded. Other Filipino Americans expressed shock but many hoped that Judge O’Brien will emerge from this disturbing development in her life as an even better person.
NEWS STORIES
Fil-Am judge pleads not guilty to fraud charges
Judge given a year in prison for $1.4m mortgage fraud scheme
Filipina immigrant who became hotshot Chicago judge sentenced to jail for $1.4m mortgage fraud
Judge given 1 year in prison for mortgage fraud scheme: ‘I’m an embarrassment!’
Illinois judge sentenced to year in prison for mortgage fraud
‘Rags to riches’ immigrant who became first Filipina judge in Chicago’s Cook County says she is ‘an embarrassment’ as she is jailed for a year over $1.4MILLION mortgage fraud scam
Illinois judge convicted of fraud no longer on the bench, state high court says
Trial begins for Fil-Am judge facing fraud in Illinois
Pinay judge in Illinois facing fraud charges
Judge Jessica Arong O’Brien breaks down before getting 1 year in prison
VIDEOS
Federal judge Jessica Arong O’Brien refuses to acquit Cook County judge as she clings to the bench
Cook County judge found guilty of fraud to seek retention in November
Filipina judge Jessica Arong O’Brien sentenced in mortgage fraud scheme
judge Jessica Arong O’Brien given a year in prison for $1.4m mortgage fraud scheme
Cook County judge Jessica Arong O’Brien convicted of mortgage fraud
Rags to riches Filipina immigrant who came to the U.S. with ‘almost nothing’ and became a judge
