It was only a week ago that the Editorial Board of the South Suburban News presented an editorial regarding Tiffany Henyard and her leadership in the southland community of Dolton, where she serves as mayor. In addition, she serves as the Township Supervisor of Thornton Township. It was shortly after a news report on FOX News Chicago, where questions were raised about her “Cares” charity and questions about public funds allegedly being laundered by the charity according to the reporting.
Now the South Suburban News has learned that the Federal Bureau of Investigations has questioned several individuals regarding spending, alleged theft of services and issues regarding accounts controlled by the village of Dolton and the township of Thornton.
These concerns apparently began over that last year or so and coincide with the tenure of Henyard in both municipalities. Misuse of public funds has brought down many public figures in Illinois politics and so it is no surprise that many are beginning to scratch their heads over what is next in the now snow balling Henyard saga.
According to individuals interviewed by investigators, they were questioned about the hiring of cronies at exuberant salaries, practices of merging the use of credit cards between Dolton expenses and Thornton expenses as well as missing funds. They say there were several questions regarding spending that occurred involving purchases of clothing and other personal items on municipal credit cards for trips.
Though the hiring of individuals with shady backgrounds may not be illegal, there were allegedly questions surrounding whether or not kickbacks were a part of any hiring agreements.
“They asked me about several areas that have been of concern for sometime, “said one woman who wished not to be identified for fear of harm.
She went on to say that she believes it has been the public that has alerted the investigators to Dolton and Thornton due to something as simple as township going from $2Mil. in the black, to now running a $2Mil. deficit.
Henyard has long been considered an eccentric and socially eclectic political presence in Dolton. Here seemingly “Ghettofabulous” presentation bucks the decorum of council meetings with music from a DJ from time to time as well as rumors of Chitterlings being given away to families during food give-aways.
Spending of tax dollars on give-aways is another area of questioning said a man who was questioned. He told the South Suburban News that there were issues that dealt with whether or not the village or township where following Office of Management and Budget protocols as it involved various programs in the village and township, not to mention in everyday business practices.
“I never thought I’d be questioned and it really caused me to take stock of what I have been involved in around these people, “he explained.
“I told the truth and the chips will land where they land. The people like her, but I think it is just that they don’t know or care about what is really going on.”
What is also concerning is that the board of trustees of both bodies may be taking on liabilities that they may later have to defend if they have been complicit in their ignoring the practices that may be fiscally irresponsible or worse yet, illegal.
Our phone calls to the Illinois FBI offices ended with the usual, “we do not comment on whether or not we are investigating.”
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