Multiple reports confirm that some Dolton village officials are currently being investigated for possible corruption and fraud. A state legislator made headlines on Wednesday by claiming that it is up to the authorities to handle the investigation related to the alleged crimes.
Dolton Mayor Accused Of Corruption, Misconduct, And Sexual Harassment
Tiffany Henyard, the mayor of Dolton, is reportedly accused of corruption, misconduct, and sexual harassment. She has also been accused of retaliation against some of the opponents in her village.
Henyard was elected into office in February 2021. The former village trustee won with 82% of the vote, according to the Village of Dolton website.
Senior Administrator Charged With Federal Bankruptcy Fraud
Keith Douglas Freeman, the senior administrator for the Village of Dolton, has reportedly been charged with federal bankruptcy fraud. According to the report, Freeman was indicted on Tuesday.
Freeman currently serves as the top aide to Henyard as Dolton mayor. He was reportedly charged with a single count of bankruptcy fraud.
State Rep. Thaddeus Jones: ‘Let’s Leave This To The Authorities To Investigate’
State Representative Thaddeus Jones was asked by The Center Square to react to the news about the charge about Freeman and Henyard scandal. Jones, who also serves as the Calumet City mayor, tactfully deflected the question
Jones initially stated that he “heard Tiffany Henyard is down here in Springfield so ask her that question.” He further stated that he would “just say let’s leave this to the authorities to investigate.”
Henyard Accused Of Weaponizing Police In Retaliatory Raids
Tiffany Henyard is accused of weaponizing police to allegedly conduct retaliatory raids on businesses. She was also accused of spending taxpayer money on personal vacations.
The Dolton trustees and the FBI are reportedly working together to conduct the investigation. Former Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot has been assigned to spearhead the investigation.
Freeman Reportedly Failed To Report His Village Of Dolton Income
Keith Douglas Freeman reportedly failed to report his Village of Dolton income. In addition, he allegedly concealed his income during bankruptcy proceedings.
Thaddeus Jones did not disclose if he has heard any comments or complaints from constituents yet regarding the concerns of corruption. Several Dolton residents reportedly expressed their frustration with the officials during a recent village board meeting.
Thaddeus Jones: ‘I Don’t Know Keith Freeman, Never Met Him’
Jones mentioned that he did not “want to impede the investigation” when asked if local constituents had concerns about the alleged noncompliance. He repeated the suggestion to “let the authorities investigate this.”
Regarding Freeman, Jones stated that “I don’t know Keith Freeman.” He further expressed that he “never met him and I don’t want to meet him.” He concluded his comment by repeating “let’s just let the authorities investigate this.”
Dolton Resident Wants Henyard To Consider ‘Stepping Down As Mayor’
Dolton resident Mary Avon expressed her frustration over the microphone at a recent village board meeting. She did not hesitate to express her request for Henyard to resign.
Avon stated that she “would like to see [Henyard] have some integrity and step down pending the outcome of this investigation.” She opened her statement by indicating that her request was “in light of the allegations.”
Henyard Admitted That Dolton Has A $2 Million Deficit During Board Meeting
Henyard admitted during the village board meeting that Dolton currently had a $2 million deficit. Dolton apparently owed more than $427,000 for street paving work and an additional $400,000 for tree trimming services.
The news of the deficit did not play well with the allegations that she misused taxpayer money on lavish vacations and expensive trips. Resident Vivian Allen told Henyard at the board meeting that “you lied to us as residents” and “I want you to step down as mayor today and save our village from this deficit you have caused.”
Former Trustee Claims Henyard ‘Can Blame Everybody’ But Needs ‘To Look At Herself’
Former trustee Edward Steave was also present at last month’s board meeting and joined in on the heated discussion. Steave stated that “the mayor can blame everybody for what’s going on.”
However, according to Steave, “she has to look at herself.” Multiple reports claim that federal investigators were already in Dolton at the time conducting interviews with the mayor’s alleged victims.
Dolton Village Board Unanimously Voted To Open Probe Into Mayor Henyard
The village board of Dolton, Illinois unanimously voted to open a probe into Mayor Tiffany Henyard last month. The board called on her to submit the financial records of the village as part of the probe.
The board also reportedly invited the FBI to conduct its own investigation into Henyard. Henyard apparently had other plans and was able to use her mayoral power to shut down the conversation at least temporarily.
Henyard Vetoed Board Resolution To Open Probe, Claimed It Was A Personal Attack
Henyard issued a veto on Monday that temporarily silenced the discussion. She vetoed the Board-approved resolution to open a probe into her and investigate the financial records.
Henyard claimed that the resolution was a direct result of personal attacks based on one-side narratives that targeted her. She indicated at the village board meeting that “it’s a shame that people can come to meetings and just tell one side of the stories and not get the entire side of both stories.”
Henyard Referred To Villard Board As ‘Boys Club’, Vowed To ‘Fight Back’
Henyard claimed that the personal attacks were targeting her, the village, and the community. She also claimed that the village board was a “boys club” that did not want to see women in leadership roles.
Henyard reportedly vowed to “fight back” against the allegations made against her. Village board members vowed that they would try to override her veto during the meeting in April.
Henyard Owned A Fast Food Restaurant Before Joining Politics
Tiffany Henyard reportedly worked in the fast food industry before embarking on her political career. She also owned the “Good Burger” location at the South Suburban College.
Henyard made headlines in November of 2022 when she reportedly failed to pay rent to the college for multiple months. According to the report, the college waived most of the back rent amount. However, they did make her repay a bounced check.
Tiffany Henyard Claimed, ‘I Will Be Victorious When All The Dust Clears’
Henyard was apparently very confident in an inevitable victory at last month’s board meeting. She stated that she was “going to always fight for what’s right.”
Henyard also claimed that she “always stays the course.” She concluded her comment by stating, “I will be victorious when all the dust clears.”
