Just as new indictments seemed to be coming to an end, another city employee has been charged in the ongoing investigation of Chicago’s scandal-ridden Hired Truck program.
Robert Ricciarelli, a former supervisor for the city’s Streets and Sanitation Department, was charged Friday, Nov. 18, with one count of mail fraud. According to the Chicago Sun-Times, Ricciarelli allegedly took more than $30,000 in bribes from trucking company owners, in exchange for lucrative work with the city.
Although he has not faced a judge, Ricciarelli’s charge was issued through a process called a criminal information, which, according to the Sun-Times, is a good indicator that the person is planning to plead guilty.
Ricciarelli’s indictment makes him the 37th person charged in the federal investigation, 21 of whom are former city employees. Twenty-one people have pleaded guilty, and 18 have been sentenced to prison time or probation, the Sun-Times reported.