A central figure in the Rod Blagojevich investigation was sentenced this week to 27 months in federal prison.
Jacob Kiferbaum wasn’t in Blagojevich’s inner circle, but it was his cooperation that got the ball rolling in the investigation into corruption under former Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich.
Kiferbaum was a construction company owner who conspired with Stuart Levine, a public official in the Blagojevich administration, to rig contracts. Levine would use his clout to steer contracts to Kiferbaum who would kick some of the money back to Levine.
Kiferbaum pled guilty way back in 2005 and his cooperation led to Stuart Levine’s conviction.
Then Levine started cooperating which led to the convictions of Tony Rezko and ultimately Rod Blagojevich.
Kiferbaum has waited on the sidelines as those cases all went to trial.
"Because of Mr. Kiferbaum’s cooperation the government was able to make its case against Stuart Levine, and Stuart Levine was able to then help them make cases against all kinds of other people including Blagojevich." -Jim Streicker, Kiferbaum's attorney
With his cooperation now complete he was sentenced to 27 months in prison, one of the final people to be sentenced as part of the federal government’s so-called “operation board games” investigation of corruption and Blagojevich.
Illinois Public Radio's Robert Wildeboer contributed to this report.
