CHICAGO, Ill. (WTVO) — Former Illinois House Speaker Mike Madigan has been sentenced to 7 and a half years in prison on bribery and corruption charges.
A jury convicted Madigan earlier this year of conspiracy, bribery, and wire fraud in a high-profile corruption trial.
He was also ordered to pay a $2.5 million fine.
The jury could not reach a decision on six of the 23 counts against him, including an overarching racketeering conspiracy charge, after deliberations that lasted more than 10 days. Ultimately, he was convicted on 10 counts of bribery, conspiracy, and wire fraud.
Acting U.S. Attorney Morris Pasqual called it a “historic” conviction, ranking high among top public corruption cases tried in Chicago’s federal courthouse. He said that Illinois residents have a right to trust in their government.”
The trial, which began in October, featured more than 60 witnesses, including a congresswoman, business leaders and former state legislators.
Madigan, 83, served as House speaker for more than 30 years, becoming the longest serving U.S. legislator, and earned the nickname the “Velvet Hammer” for his forceful yet quiet leadership style.
He left political office in 2021 while under investigation and was indicted the following year.
First elected to the Legislature in 1970, Madigan was speaker of the state House from 1983 to 2021, except for two years when Republicans were in control. He set much of Illinois’ political agenda by deciding which legislation would be voted on and by controlling several campaign funds. He also oversaw political mapmaking.
Among his crimes: Madigan used his influence to pass legislation that benefited
companies like ComEd, which
gave kickbacks, jobs, and contracts to Madigan loyalists in return.
Rep. John Cabello (R-Machesney Park) reacted to the sentencing, saying, “I hope the entirety of his trial sends a message to every corrupt politician watching: The people of Illinois deserve better—not the corrupt cesspool Madigan and his cronies created. Sadly, there are currently 57 state lawmakers, including those from the Rockford area, who received funding from or maintain ties with Madigan. Another reason that Illinois needs real ethics reform now.”
Rep. Joe Sosnowski (R-Rockford) said, “No one is above the law. Speaker Madigan was found guilty of gaming the system for personal gain. The people of Illinois expect more from their leaders and deserve an ethical state government. We need to stop the culture of pay-to-play politics that has allowed corruption to run rampant in Illinois for decades”.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to MyStateline | WTVO News, Weather and Sports.
