Chicago, IL — Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul announced today that his office has secured a guilty plea from a former suburban public works director who misused government resources for personal gain.
Scott Russell, 60, of Riverside, pleaded guilty to one Class 2 felony count of theft of governmental property after an investigation revealed he used a Village of Westchester credit card to purchase a bathtub for private use. The former director of public works has since repaid $1,139.42 in full restitution to the village.
Cook County Circuit Court Judge James Novy sentenced Russell to two years of second chance probation and 30 hours of public service work.
“Government employees – whether they work at the local, state or federal level – are charged with carrying out the work of the people they serve and must be held to a higher standard,” said Attorney General Raoul. “I will continue to partner with local and state agencies to hold accountable anyone who defrauds the public.”
Russell was originally charged in September 2023, following an investigation led by the Illinois State Police. The investigation found that he had misappropriated public funds to finance a personal bathroom upgrade, violating public trust and misusing taxpayer dollars.
