Chicago Hired Truck Program: What a Scandal!

By Rachelle Bowden in News on Oct 12, 2004 12:06PM

Last week, John "Quarters" Boyle was arrested on federal charges for taking bribes from companies to stay in the city's Hired Truck program. Prosecutors say he took cash, steaks, Marshall Field's gift certificates, and contributions to his favorite politicians. In 1992, Boyle was convicted stealing $4 million coins from IL Toll Highway Authority, hence his nickname.. Quick, someone, how much does $4 million in coins weigh!?! A few thousand pounds? Mayor Daley says it's common for the city to hire ex-convicts to give them a second chance but he says he embarassed by the latest scandal to his his administration.

Along with Boyle, another city worker Gerald Wesolowski was charged. Both face up to a decade in prison if convicted on the bribery charges.

Also, on Friday, Nick "The Stick" LoCoco, a man who is rumored to have ties with the mob, was arrested in connection to the Hired Truck Program. It was LoCoco's job to decided which dump trucks got work in the program.. so of course he picked his own truck. By doing this LoCoco was making almost $8,000 month.

If all this weren't enough, another trucking company operator, Martin McDonagh was also charged with lying to federal officials. Prosecutors said that they were accelerating the probe because they discovered that the payoffs continued even after they charged the former head of the Hired Truck Program, Angelo Torres, with extortion earlier this year.