>>1766850 (lb)

https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/story?id=6045543&page=1

Obama has acknowledged mistakes in dealing with fundraiser Antoin "Tony" Rezko, who was convicted in June in Chicago on charges of fraud, money laundering and aiding and abetting bribery. Obama has said it was "boneheaded" of him to get involved in a real estate deal with Rezko's wife, and he donated to charity about $150,000 in contributions raised by Rezko.

Obama cultivated Chicago minority business leaders to become his bundlers and started siphoning state contracts to them. Loop Capital notably saw its coffers swell. Another minority owned firm, Ariel Management took a solid hit on the IL Teachers Pension Fund and was replaced when the returns on investments didn't go to the teachers.