CHICAGO (WBBM) -- A federal judge denied politically connected Chicago businessman Tony Rezko's attempt to reinstate his bond Tuesday a day after his bond was revoked and he was sent to jail.
Rezko has raised thousands of dollars in campaign contributions for Illinois political leaders, most notably Gov. Rod Blagojevich, but also Sen. Barack Obama. Rezko was arrested on Monday at his Wilmette home.
U.S. District Judge Amy J. St. Eve said at a hearing Monday that she should have been told about money matters such as $3.5 million Rezko received from a company based in Lebanon after he told her he had no income and that explanations offered by four Rezko lawyers at the hearing failed to dissuade her.
His $2 million bond was revoked because prosecutors say he could be a flight risk.
Rezko is charged with scheming to pressure companies seeking to do business with the state to pay kickbacks and make campaign contributions to Blagojevich. Neither Blagojevich nor Obama has been accused of any wrongdoing in connection with the case.
Rezko is due to start trial Feb. 25 on charges of mail fraud, wire fraud, money laundering and attempted extortion. He also is charged with swindling the General Electric Capital Corp. out of $10 million in loans involving the sale of a pizza business.
It was learned last week that an associate of Rezko's had sent a $10,000 campaign contribution to Obama's U.S. Senate campaign using money from the alleged pizza scheme. Obama's campaign then sent $40,000 in Rezko-related campaign contributions to charity.
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