Bridgeport Developer Taped Medrano, Moreno Accepting Bribes

By Chuck Sudo in News on Jul 30, 2012 6:20PM

Former Ald. Ambrosio Medrano (left), and former Cook County Commissioner Joseph Mario Moreno

The Sun-Times has more on how federal investigators were able to arrest former Ald. Ambrosio Medrano and former County Commissioner Joseph Mario Moreno for accepting bribes in exchange for ensuring the development of a waste transfer station and hospital business in Cicero.

Medrano and Moreno were allegedly taped accepting bribes from Michael DiFoggio, a politically connected plumber and home developer in the wunnerful Bridgeport neighborhood. Di Foggio’s cooperation with federal authorities apparently proved vital in the complaint against Medrano, Moreno and seven other people last month.

Don’t believe for a second DiFoggio was working with feds for altruistic purposes. He dealing with his own legal issues, including a charge earlier this month for tax evasion, and has been cooperating with the government for over two years. Reporters must have surprised DiFoggio with what they knew last week when they asked him about his involvement in the case.

”Outside the courtroom, when a reporter asked why he recorded Moreno for the FBI, DiFoggio snapped, ‘Who told you that?’

“When asked if he was denying it, DiFoggio had no comment, then moments later sprinted away from a Sun-Times photographer trying to take his photo.”

DiFoggio isn’t named in court documents but sources confirmed for the Sun-Times that he is “Cooperating Witness 1.” He pleaded not guilty to the tax evasion charge Friday but is expected to change the plea in August. It may also get slightly uncomfortable at the Old Italian American Neighborhood Club, where DiFoggio is a member and his father, the late Michael "The Blaster" DiFoggio, was a founder.