Judge brocton lockwood wore a wire for the fbi to help clean up a corru. But this behind the scenes account, written by the undercover agent who made. The fbi named the investigation operation greylord because. These images take an inside look at the key players of the investigation and some of the corrupt people it took down. Former prosecutor and fbi undercover agent discusses greylord. Hake works tirelessly to expose rampant corruption in the cook county court system.
From left, shirley and leonard wass visit with author and former fbi agent terrance hake, who has written a book about the undercover anticorruption investigation operation greylord in. Terry hake was the principal fbi undercover lawyer in the investigation, and his new book tells the story from the inside for the first time. Apr 19, 2017 the article was written by by terrence hake fbi 19811988 with contributions from david grossman fbi 19781999, david ries fbi 19762000 and william megary fbi 19771999. Feb 16, 2014 the fbi named the investigation operation greylord because of all the judges having gray hair, although the national media reported it was named after the curly wigs worn by british judges.
Operation greylord was the longest and most successful undercover investigation in fbi history, and the largest corruption bust ever in the us. Several newspaper articles about operation greylord, along with an overview of the case found on the fbi website are linked below. He survived operation greylord feature chicago reader. Terry hake and the graylord investigation turn crook. Oct 26, 2016 directed by michael mallick, jesse rivkin. It resulted in bribery and tax charges being filed against 103 judges, lawyers, and other court personnel, and, eventually, three suicides and more than seventy indictments. Operation greylord was a colossal fbi sting in the early 1980s involving the cook county judicial system. The true story of americas biggest undercover corruption bust will be detailed at the aurora navy league council 247 dinner meeting at 6 p.
The article was written by by terrence hake fbi 19811988 with contributions from david grossman fbi 19781999, david ries fbi 19762000 and william megary fbi 19771999. Postal inspection service, the chicago police internal affairs division and the illinois state police into corruption in the judiciary of cook county, illinois the chicago jurisdiction. Operation greylord is a story of true crime that details americas largest undercover fbi investigation into corruption. Greylord is about judges, their clerks and bailiffs, and lawyers who were corrupt in. The fbi named the investigation operation greylord after the curly wigs worn by british judges.
Operation greylord goodreads share book recommendations. Former illinois states attorneyturnedfbi agent tells of. Operation greylord audiobook by terrence hake, wayne. Jan 12, 1989 the book has a clear antigovernment spin. Operation greylord was an investigation conducted jointly by the federal bureau of investigation, the irs criminal investigation division, the u. Operation greylord has never before been detailed by an insider in the investigation. Anyone familiar with the unprecedented government undercover investigation of corruption in the cook county circuit court that resulted in the convictions of. Uncovering corruption in the chicago justice system. Named after the curly wigs worn by british judges, operation greylord rooted out corruption in the cook county, illinois courts in the 1980s. Apr 04, 2017 from left, shirley and leonard wass visit with author and former fbi agent terrance hake, who has written a book about the undercover anticorruption investigation operation greylord in chicago. Chicago lawyer disbarred in greylord corruption case wants. Operation greylord and millions of other books are available for instant access. The fbi named the investigation operation greylord because of all the judges having gray hair, although the national media reported it was named after the curly wigs worn by british judges.
Apr 20, 2016 this is the first book detailing operation greylord, one of the most successful undercover investigations in fbi history that occurred in 1980s chicago. Review of operation greylord by terrence hake, on the. Wayne klatt terrence hake recounts his involvement in the events of operation greylord, the fbi s longest and most successful undercover operation that led to charges against over one hundred of chicagos. It was one of the most important cases in the annals of public corruption investigations in the united states. Greylord was the longest and most successful undercover investigation in fbi. This is a wonderful nonfiction book written about the greylord investigation in chicago several years ago. Judges on the take how the fbi took on chicagos crooked courts. Feb 12, 2018 the investigation, known as greylord, became the longest and most successful undercover investigation in fbi history, and the largest corruption bust ever in the u. Operation greylord was a federal undercover operation and judge lockwood was the fbi s operation netted 84 federal convictions, most related to bribery, of judges, lawyers, police officers, and court officials. Terrence hake is a graduate of loyola university of chicago school of law. The operation greylord corruption investigation files. The investigation, known as greylord, became the longest and most successful undercover investigation in fbi history, and the largest corruption bust ever in the u. Nov 05, 2019 operation greylord is the riveting tale of how a few honest lawyers in the united states attorneys office in chicago, with the help of the fbi, uncovered and prosecuted the almost unimaginable corruption in the lower reaches of chicagos criminal and traffic court system.
Conn became the first defendant convicted in a sweeping investigation called operation greylord. The true story of an untrained undercover agent and americas biggest corruption bustprovides a detailed narrative of his role in. And in the endthrough undercover operations that used honest and very courageous judges and lawyers posing. History of the fbi s chicago, illinois field office. This book is the story of rampant bribery and fixing of cases in the cook county, illinois, court system. Federal officials considered him a small fish in the murky seas of greylord.
The true story of an untrained undercover agent and americas biggest corruption bust by terrence hake the investigation, known as greylord, became the longest and most successful undercover investigation in fbi history, and the largest corruption bust ever in the u. And in the endthrough undercover operations that used honest and very. By the end of the probe illegal activities from labor union corruption to drug trafficking, organized crime activity and elected city officials on the take were unearthed, and corruption convictions were handed out to 18 individuals. The true story of an untrained undercover agent and americas biggest corruption bust hake, terrence on. It was called operation greylord, named after the curly wigs worn by british judges. Operation greylord tells the riveting story of one of the largest and most successful undercover investigations in fbi history. Jul 09, 2016 when the investigationcode named operation greylordwas initiated, terry was a young assistant states attorney fed up with corruption in the cook county, illinois court system.
Investigations of public corruption rooting crookedness out of government. Operation greylord pdf for years, cook county judges were taking part in robberies, rapes, child molestations and murders. Operation greylord was the longest and most successful undercover investigation in fbi history, and the largest corruption bust ever. Non fiction books by former fbi agents fbi authors. In 1980, terrance hake was a young prosecutor in chicago, where he complained about the judges taking bribes to fix cases. Postal inspection service, the chicago police department internal affairs division and the illinois state police into corruption in the judiciary of cook county, illinois the chicago jurisdiction. In 1978 newly appointed associate judge lockwood reported to chicago to fulfill the obligation all southern illinois judges have to serve six weeks each year to reduce the backlog in the cook county system. You may have heard about operation greylord, the sting that brought down a good number of corrupt judges and lawyers in 1984, or read about it in the newspapers. Operation greylord was led by the fbi and a group of u. Operation greylord audiobook by terrence hake 9781494586072.
Operation greylord operation greylord was the longest and most successful undercover investigation in fbi history, and the largest corruption bust ever in the u. Jun 07, 2015 operation greylord was the longest and most successful undercover investigation in fbi history, and the largest corruption bust ever in the u. Disgusted with the corruption that permeated the cook county court system, he had become the fbis mole in its unprecedented investigation of judicial corruption. A cook county circuit court judge, 2 former judges and 10 lawyers were among 22 people indicted wednesday on charges of paying or accepting thousands of dollars in bribes in the federal operation. The true story of an untrained undercover agent and americas biggest corruption bust hardcover august 7, 2015 by terrence hake author, wayne klatt contributor. State prosecutor terry hake fulfills a lifelong dream by going undercover for the fbi in chicago. Operation greylord is the riveting tale of how a few honest lawyers in the united states attorneys office in chicago, with the help of the fbi, uncovered and prosecuted the almost unimaginable corruption in the lower reaches of chicagos criminal and traffic court system. It resulted in bribery and tax charges against 103 judges, lawyers, and other court personnel, and, eventually, more than seventy indictments.
Former prosecutor and fbi undercover agent discusses greylord if you are crooked, the first person you destroy is yourself. Greylord is about judges, their clerks and bailiffs, and lawyers who were corrupt in many ways large and small. When the last greylord trial concluded in 1994, terrence hake had testified at the trials of 23 defendants and was officially an fbi agent. Operation greylord lee county library system overdrive. Exfbi agent to chronicle operation greylord at montgomery dinner. Members of auroras navy league council 247 spent a recent evening hearing about one our nations biggest undercover operations as former states attorney turned fbi agent terrance hake spoke about his recent book, operation greylord. But this behind the scenes account, written by the undercover agent who made it all happen, is a detailed play by play of how it all went down.
Operation greylord was the longest and most successful undercover investigation in fbi history, and the largest corruption bust ever in the u. Dave dineff considered himself unlucky beyond words. The true story of an untrained undercover agent and americas. Operation greylord was the largest undercover corruption bust in fbi history. The book is published by ankerwycke, an imprint of the american bar. Jul 02, 2018 operation greylord is the riveting tale of how a few honest lawyers in the united states attorneys office in chicago, with the help of the fbi, uncovered and prosecuted the almost unimaginable corruption in the lower reaches of chicagos criminal and traffic court system. Greylord was the name the federal bureau of investigation gave the operation to dig out corruption that existed in the courts during this period.
Operation greylord was a massive undercover sting operation that targeted corrupt judges and court officials in cook county in the early 1980s. Terry lost a close friend who never spoke to him after greylord was over. Corruption so pervaded traffic court that lockwood, who at first merely wanted to complete. Brockton lockwoods story brocton lockwood, harlan h. This was an investigation of judges and the judicial system that was breathtaking. He had susie, two kids, and a law practice that he was successfully rebuilding after an auto accident that nearly cost him his life. It resulted in 92 indictments naming judges, attorneys, law enforcement personnel, court. Terry hake and the graylord investigation turn crook county. It resulted in bribery and tax charges against 103 judges, lawyers, and other court personnel, and, eventually, more than 70 indictments. On march 15, 1984, in a federal courtroom in chicago, a jury found harold conn guilty on all four counts of accepting bribes to be passed on to cook county, illinois judges as payment for fixing tickets. The true story of an untrained undercover agent and americas biggest.
Operation greylord this fbi history article appeared in the april 2017 issues of the grapevine, published by the society of former special agents of the fbi. Read this insider account and see what really happened. Former states attorney turned fbi agent tells story of. As a lawyer in private practice, terry represented an undercover fbi agent who posed as. In accepting bribes to free the criminals committing these and many other crimes, the judges. Judge brocton lockwood wore a wire for the fbi to help clean up a corrupt chicago traffic court.
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