Lawyer Accused of Phony Church-Property Sales

Phillip Radmer, a disbarred lawyer, went on trial in Chicago on Thursday on charges that he carried out the fraudulent sale of four vacant lots owned by the city’s First Presbyterian Church, reports the Chicago Tribune.

Mr. Radmer is believed to have pocketed a total of $655,000 over the course of the transactions. When investigators raided his home last June, $100,000 in cash was found in a laundry basket along with key documents.

Mr. Radmer is accused of forming a nonprofit corporation called the First Presbyterian Church of Chicago, creating a false board of directors, and approving the sale of vacant church property to fake buyers. The land was then sold to Mr. Radmer’s company, Real Management.

Rufus Cook, a lawyer for Mr. Radmer, says, “This is not a criminal case. It is a civil matter.” He says the church authorized Mr. Radmer to gain control of the property.

An investigative series by the Chicago Tribune has concluded that the deals were part of a larger scheme to sell 60 vacant properties belonging to charities, schools, and businesses throughout Chicago.