Illinois quick hits: Ex-Carlyle Police Chief faces federal embezzlement charges;

Illinois quick hits: Ex-Carlyle Police Chief faces federal embezzlement charges;

March 4, 2026/

By Jim Talamonti | The Center Square
The Center Square

Ex-Carlyle Police Chief faces federal embezzlement charges

Former Carlyle Police Chief Mark Pingsterhaus is facing federal charges for allegedly embezzling more than $100,000 for his personal benefit. A four-count indictment from a grand jury said Pingsterhaus embezzled city funds and Carlyle Fire Protection District funds from at least January 2017 to November 2025 for personal travel, entertainment, goods and services.

Inspector General calls out Chicago Department of Law

The Chicago Office of Inspector General says the city’s law department refused to provide hiring records the OIG is entitled to by statute. Inspector General Deborah Witzburg said the Department of Law eventually acknowledged that the records it withheld from OIG could not be properly exempted even from public release when it produced them in response to a Freedom of Information Act request. The OIG released an advisory regarding law department cooperation on Wednesday.

Illinois House bill aims to regulate alternative energy suppliers

State Rep. Kimberly Du Buclet, D-Chicago, and the Citizens Utility Board are pushing legislation to help protect customers from bad energy deals. At a press conference in Chicago on Wednesday, Du Buclet said House Bill 4313 would prevent predatory pricing by alternative electricity and gas suppliers. The measure would regulate supply rates, require a customer signature before automatic contract renewals and require suppliers to provide more accurate data to the Illinois Commerce Commission.

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