CHICAGO — The grimy truth behind the grime of Chicago’s food service industry has hit the fan, as Lynwood’s Ernest Griffin, 71, has been sentenced to 18 months in federal prison for a despicable scheme. This former sanitation instructor pocketed bribes, allowing untrained food service workers to bypass certification training and testing requirements, a direct threat to public health.
Griffin’s greed was exposed when he took bribes from individuals seeking to obtain Sanitation Certificates without the mandatory 15-hour course and exam. For an ‘investment’ of around $175, Griffin would submit fake certifications and test results to the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH), claiming that the bribe payer had met all requirements.
This scam spanned from approximately 2008 until January 2015, when the FBI finally confronted Griffin. Last year, he pleaded guilty to one count of federal program bribery, a charge that now carries with it an 18-month federal prison sentence imposed by U.S. District Judge Manish S. Shah in Chicago, along with a $5,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Maureen E. Merin argued during the sentencing that Griffin’s certificates-for-bribes scheme was ‘a serious abuse of the public trust.’ It not only posed a risk to public health but also shook public confidence in the government’s ability to enforce laws designed to protect it.
Illinois and Chicago mandates require food service establishments to have certified managers present at all times. To become certified, individuals must complete an IDPH-approved course and pass an exam covering essential food safety topics. Griffin, with authorization from IDPH, was supposed to teach this course and conduct the exams. Instead, he used his position to facilitate a brazen scheme that put profits over public health.
The sentence was announced by Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, Joel R. Levin, and FBI Special Agent-in-Charge Michael J. Anderson, who emphasized the gravity of Griffin’s offense against both the law and public welfare.
Related Federal Cases
- ATF Warns of Legal Policies: Linking to DOJ Sites at Your Own Risk · Illinois
- James Leads Coalition Against Extremist SAVE America Act · New Mexico
- James Leads Push for Senate KOSA Bill Over House Version · New Mexico
- James Blocks $10B Cut to Childcare & Support Programs · Minnesota
- AG James Scores Victory for SNAP Benefits · Illinois
Key Facts
- State: Illinois
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes|Public Corruption
- Source: Official Source ↗
🔒 Get the grimiest stories delivered weekly. Subscribe free →
Browse More
