Crime & Law
Ex-Prosecutor, 2 Chicago Police Officers Charged in Alleged Overtime Fraud Scheme
Leighton Criminal Court Building (Michael Izquierdo / WTTW News)
A former Cook County prosecutor and two Chicago police officers are facing felony charges alleging they fraudulently collected more than $100,000 in overtime pay.
Former assistant state’s attorney Ashley Moore, 46, along with officers Jason Arroyo, 40, and Edis Skrgic, 35, were arraigned Thursday after each was charged with two counts of theft of governmental property over $100,000 and two counts of official misconduct.
All three pleaded not guilty.
Moore was also charged with an additional count of official misconduct and one count of obstructing justice.
The charges were announced by Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul’s office.
“As public servants responsible for enforcing the rule of law, prosecutors and members of law enforcement must be held to a higher standard. That is why allegations of fraud and misconduct are especially egregious,” Raoul said in a statement. “No one is above the law, and I will continue to hold individuals accountable who use their positions of authority for their own financial benefit.”
According to Raoul’s office, on more than 100 occasions, Moore brought Arroyo and Skrgic to the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office, so they could listen to prisoner phone calls on cases Moore was prosecuting.
However, neither officer had any involvement in those cases beforehand, nor did they file any reports about listening to those calls afterward, Raoul’s office alleged. The two officers are alleged to have collected more than $100,000 in fraudulent overtime connected to these meetings.
According to the State’s Attorney Kim Foxx’s office, Moore resigned in October 2021 and was last assigned in the felony trial division at the Leighton Criminal Court Building.
“The Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office is committed (to) the work of justice and holds all employees to the highest standards,” Foxx’s office said in a statement. “We do not condone the alleged actions of this former assistant state’s attorney and fully cooperated with this investigation as we continue our critical work for everyone in Cook County. We are unable to further comment.”
A spokesperson for the Chicago Police Department declined comment Thursday.
According to Raoul’s office, the defendants face up to 30 years in prison on the theft charges and up to five years in prison on the official misconduct charges. They are due back in court for a hearing Sept. 17.
