Feds Indict Big Donor to Chicago Ald. Joe Moore, IL Gov. Rod Blagojevich

Raghuveer Nayak

June 20, 2012 - Chicago - FBI agents arrested Raghuveer Nayak, MS, RPh this morning and took him into custody. Nayak was a major fundraiser for Rod Blagojevich, Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. and donor to Chicago Alderman Joe Moore. He is being held on $10 million bond.

In 2008 it was alleged that Nayak promised to raise $5 million for Blagojevich in exchange for the appointment of Jesse Jackson, Jr. to the U.S. Senate seat vacated by Barack Obama. (Other sources put the alleged figure at $500,000, while some sources say it was $1 million.)

"A former campaign fundraiser for imprisoned ex-Gov. Rod Blagojevich and U.S. Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. has pleaded not guilty to fraud charges related to his outpatient surgery centers," reports the Chicago Tribune today. "A judge set bond Wednesday for Raghuveer Nayak (RUG'-oo-veer NAY'-uk) at $10 million. Nayak has agreed to post six properties in Indiana and Illinois and will be released from custody Wednesday."

The feds have charged Nayak, 57, with 19 counts of mail fraud, interstate travel in aid of racketeering and filing false tax returns. He is also accused of "paying bribes and kickbacks to physicians for patient referrals."  Nayak was arrested at his home in Oakbrook home by FBI agents this morning. Wednesday at this suburban Chicago home and took him into custody.  READ the entire indictment here (pdf).

Nayak owns outpatient medical centers in Illinois and Indiana. One of those clinics is Rogers Park One Day Surgery Center at 7616 N. Paulina in Rogers Park, a neighborhood on Chicago's far north side.

Nayak gave big money to
Chicago Alderman Joe Moore

In late 2008, Governor Rod Blagojevich attended an Oct. 31 luncheon meeting at the India House restaurant in Schaumburg. The event was sponsored by Raghuveer Nayak. Not only was Nayak a major supporter and fundraiser for Blagojevich, he also had very close fundraising and business ties to the Jackson family. That's "Jackson" as in Rep. Jesse Jackson, Jr.  Nayak's event raised over one million dollars was raised for "Blagojevich's campaign as a way to encourage him to pick Jackson for the job."

From 2000 to 2008, Nayak contributed nearly $10,000 to Chicago Alderman Joe Moore (49th Ward, Rogers Park). Moore, a fervent supporter of Blagojevich, has made no public statements about Nayak's role in the Blagojevich-Jackson scandal, or about today's arrest.

Nayak's contributions have tended to be almost exclusively to Democrats, with the notable exception of John McCain, who might as well be a Democrat. "From 1993 through June 30, 2008," reported the Illinois Campaign for Political Reform, "Rogers Park One-Day Surgical Center gave $194,830 to candidates in Illinois, 100% of which was contributed to Democrats. During that same time, Nayak gave $24,700 in personal contributions."

Raghuveer Nayak's Political Contributions, as sampled by selected websites: Newsmeat.com and CampaignMoney.com