Prosecutors: Convicted former official ‘binge betting’ in Vegas

Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2003 | 9:53 a.m.

CHICAGO -- Federal prosecutors who want former Cicero Town President Betty Loren-Maltese in prison soon say she has been "binge betting" since her conviction in August.

In documents filed on Tuesday, prosecutors tried to persuade U.S. District Court Judge John F. Grady to keep his decision that moved up by two months Loren-Maltese's surrender date to Friday. Prosecutors contend Loren-Maltese has known for months that she was going to prison and should have planned accordingly.

Instead, she has spent hours gambling more than $1.2 million at Las Vegas casinos, prosecutors said.

Loren-Maltese, 53, was one of seven defendants convicted in a mob-related scheme that swindled Cicero out of $12 million in insurance premiums.

Prosecutors fear that Loren-Maltese may be gambling away money they hope to collect as forfeiture and restitution.

In December she was sentenced to eight years in prison and her original surrender date was April 1. But Grady recently changed Loren-Maltese's surrender date to Jan. 31 after federal prosecutors said she was gambling away large amounts of money despite a freeze on her bank accounts.

Lawyers for Loren-Maltese have asked the court to push back her surrender date to April 1. Her lawyers contend Loren-Maltese needs more time to prepare her young daughter for the change.