Tony Rezko
Ties to Rod Blagojevich
### Ties to Rod Blagojevich

Rezko's relationship with Illinois Governor [Rod Blagojevich](/wiki/Rod_Blagojevich "Rod Blagojevich") and his family were at the root of the federal corruption case which led to Rezko's conviction. Rezko donated $117,652 to Blagojevich's campaigns, and is credited by the prosecutor in his trial with having delivered [bundled](/wiki/Bundling_%28fundraising%29 "Bundling (fundraising)") contributions totalling almost $1\.44 million. Since 1997, Blagojevich's wife, Patricia, has made at least $38,000 acting as Rezko's real\-estate agent on several of his company's property acquisitions. When Blagojevich won the Illinois gubernatorial election in 2002, Rezko assisted Blagojevich in setting up the state's first Democratic administration in twenty years. Rezko recommended many of his business associates and their relatives for positions within state government, three of whom were appointed to the state board that oversees hospital projects. the state's development board was run by another former Rezko business associate. Rezko and Republican fundraiser Stuart Levine were charged in a 24\-count federal indictment for allegedly using Rezko's influence with public officials to demand millions of dollars in kickbacks from companies that wanted to do business with the state. Levine pleaded guilty and served as the chief witness against Rezko at trial. Levine and several other witnesses implicated Blagojevich in the schemes.

The last indictment in [Operation Board Games](/wiki/Operation_Board_Games "Operation Board Games") before Blagojevich himself was indicted was that of [William F. Cellini](/wiki/William_F._Cellini "William F. Cellini") who was indicted for conspiring with Rezko to [shake down](/wiki/Extortion "Extortion") Chicago\-based Capri Capital to get a substantial contribution to Blagojevich in exchange for allowing Capri to manage $220 million in the Teachers Retirement System. After Thomas Rosenberg of Capri threatened to tell authorities, the plan was abandoned.[William F. Cellini Sr. Indicted – fbi.gov – October 30, 2008](http://chicago.fbi.gov/dojpressrel/pressrel08/oct30_08a.pdf)  Capri has substantial investments in the [Watergate complex](/wiki/Watergate_complex "Watergate complex") and [King Abdullah Economic City](/wiki/King_Abdullah_Economic_City "King Abdullah Economic City").


What were the consequences of Rezko's actions on the state of Illinois?