Feds investigating former Cook County Assessor Joe Berrios, records show

The authorities are interested in his access to private planes and boats, among other matters, according to a grand jury subpoena obtained by the Sun-Times.

By Mark Brown, Tim Novak, and Robert Herguth Dec 17, 2019, 3:43pm CST
Former Cook County Assessor Joe Berrios. Sun-Times files


A federal grand jury subpoena obtained by the Chicago Sun-Times shows investigators are digging into former Cook County Assessor Joe Berrios and his political organization.

The subpoena seeks documents related to Berrios’ 31st Ward Democratic Organization, his Friends of Berrios campaign committee and the Mexican American Political Action Committee.

The subpoena asks for information about contributions to Berrios’ retirement party and his access to private planes and boats, among other things.

It also seeks any items “related to any official action taken in exchange for a benefit” and specifies the type of actions — including “assessor recommendations, certificates of correction, certificates of error, property valuations and re-reviews.”

Those refer to the actions the assessor’s office can take related to setting — and reducing — property valuations for real estate tax purposes.

Similar subpoenas were received by several current and former employees of the assessor’s office, a source said.

A spokesman for the U.S. attorney’s office in Chicago declined to comment.

The subpoenas are the first public indication that Berrios is a subject of federal investigation, his name until now missing from the wide-ranging political corruption probes that have sent tremors through Cook County Democratic politics, including the indictment of Ald. Edward M. Burke (14th), a property tax lawyer.

Berrios did not respond Tuesday to phone messages left by the Sun-Times.

Berrios was ousted from the assessor’s office with last year’s election of Fritz Kaegi. A month after losing the Democratic primary to Kaegi in March 2018, Berrios relinquished his chairmanship of the Cook County Democratic Party and was replaced by Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle.


Berrios came under criticism by Kaegi during the assessor’s election campaign for undervaluing major downtown commercial properties, to the disadvantage of homeowners.

Kaegi spokesman Scott Smith said the assessor’s office would not confirm or deny the existence of a federal investigation.

“The office has not received any federal or state law enforcement subpoenas pursuant to an investigation,” Smith said. “If this changes, we are prepared to fully cooperate with any investigation.”

Contributing: Jon Seidel