A former Illinois State Senator has pleaded guilty to nine counts of indictment including seven counts of wire fraud, one count of money laundering, and one count of tax evasion concerning alleged misuse of campaign funds for personal expenses. According to the US Department of Justice, William Samuel McCann Jr.’s bench trial was held before US District Judge Colleen Lawless.
It was revealed during the trial, that Senator McCann admitted that from about May 2015 to June 2020, McCann engaged in a scheme to convert more than $200,000 and potentially more than $500,000 in contributions and donations made to his campaign committees to pay himself and make personal purchases and that he concealed his fraud from donors, the public, the Illinois State Board of Elections, and law enforcement authorities.
Following a plea hearing, McCann requested that he be released to home confinement pending sentencing, and the Court scheduled a detention hearing for Friday. During the detention hearing, it was revealed that in a video that McCann had recorded just prior to his detainment on February 9th, McCann referenced the government’s conspiracy against him and other accusations. Judge Lawless noted that the video raised her concern regarding McCann potentially harming himself and his truthfulness with the court, and thus ordered McCann detained pending sentencing.
A sentencing hearing is set for June 20th, 2024 at 10 AM. The penalty for each of the seven counts of wire fraud and one count of money laundering is up to 20 years in prison. For tax evasion, the statutory penalty is up to 5 years in prison. McCann served as a senator for the 49th district from 2011-2013 and for the redrawn 50th district from 2013 to 2019. McCann previously lived in Carlinville and owned and operated two construction businesses. He also unsuccessfully ran for governor. The charges are the result of an investigation by the FBI and IRS Criminal Investigation.
Assistant US Attorney Timothy A. Bass represents the government in the prosecution.
