CHICAGO — A former Illinois Tollway employee has been ordered to pay nearly $50,000 in restitution after pleading guilty to theft of governmental property for fraudulently obtaining Paycheck Protection Program loans during the COVID-19 pandemic. Marcus Smith, 46, of Bellwood, was sentenced by Cook County Circuit Court Judge Stanley Sacks to 24 months of second chance probation and must repay the funds or face possible jail time. Prosecutors said Smith falsely claimed ownership of a business while employed by the Tollway, securing two PPP loans totaling about $49,999 in 2021, and also obtained nearly $19,000 in rent relief by claiming a tenant had not paid rent when the tenant was a family member who later received part of the money. The case was referred to the Attorney General’s office by the Tollway inspector general.
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