A politically-connected Chicago businessman could face up to 20 years in prison when he’s sentenced in October on charges including bribery and lying to the FBI.
A jury in Chicago this week convicted James Weiss of seeking to bribe Illinois lawmakers in order to protect his business operating so-called “sweepstakes machines,” an unregulated form of gambling similar to video slot machines.
Weiss is the son-in-law of the former chair of the Cook County Democratic Party, and was accused of offering payments to Democratic lawmakers to push legislation that would keep the machines legal.
One of those lawmakers was wearing a wire, and those recordings became part of the case against Weiss.
