Michael Madigan

Michael Joseph Madigan, the former Speaker of the Illinois House of Representatives, served from 1971 to 2021. Following his resignation, he was indicted in 2022 on federal charges of leading a criminal enterprise to enrich himself and his allies. In February 2025, a federal jury convicted him on 10 counts, including bribery, wire fraud, and violations of the Travel Act. He was acquitted on seven other counts, and the jury deadlocked on six additional charges. Madigan was sentenced to 7½ years in prison and fined $2.5 million. He is currently serving his sentence at a federal prison in West Virginia. On April 27, 2026, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit upheld his convictions, rejecting his appeal. The convictions stemmed from two primary schemes. The first involved Commonwealth Edison (ComEd), where Madigan conspired to accept bribes in the form of jobs and contracts for his political associates in exchange for legislative support. The second involved a scheme to secure a state board position for former Alderman Danny Solis in exchange for assistance in securing business for Madigan’s private law firm. Madigan was found not guilty on charges related to the Union West luxury apartment development and certain other specific bribery and Travel Act allegations.