Former Cook County judge accused of stealing money from Tuskegee airman
CHICAGO (CBS) – A former top judge in Cook County has been ordered to pay over $1 million to the family of a World War II veteran.
Patricia Martin, who sat on the bench for decades, was in charge of handling his money, but his family, and the state, claim she pocketed nearly all of it.
CBS 2's Chris Tye had the details on how investigators said she did it.
Early in life, Oscar Wilkerson was a civil rights pioneer as a Tuskegee airman. Later in life, he'd spend his final days at an Orland Park senior living center where he trusted his finances to a relative with a trustworthy track record.
Patricia Martin was a judge for 24 years and retired as the top judge in Cook County's juvenile court system in 2020. One month before stepping down from the bench, she stepped up to power of attorney, helping manage Wilkerson's bank, 401k, and social security accounts.
CBS 2 learned that the state Supreme Court has begun looking into what Martin did with that money. A complaint filed by the Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission alleges she "used at least $246,203.80 of … funds without his authority for her own personal purpose" to purchase "cryptocurrency that she held in her own name and over which she maintained exclusive control."
The commission also accused her of "emptying his accounts to the point … the assisted living facility had not been paid."
With disbarment on the line, the state said Martin has not responded to their calls for clarity.
In February, Wilkerson died.
Before his death, Wilkerson's attorneys took Martin to court and two weeks ago, due to "the defendant's continued unresponsiveness," a Cook County judge awarded Wilkerson's estate over $1.1 million from Martin, three times what she was shown to have taken.
The disciplinary commission said Martin did reply to that lawsuit when "she admitted that she had wrongfully assumed control over [Wilkerson's] property, that she had no authority to use [Wilkerson's] funds for any purpose other than for his benefit, and that she had intentionally deprived [Wilkerson] of funds to which he was entitled."
CBS 2 reached out over the phone and visited the former judge's home where she said she had no comment. CBS 2 also reached out to Wilkerson's attorney and others who worked on his behalf for comment but have not heard back.
As for the attorney disciplinary commission? They said Martin has to decide if she is going to fight their allegations or accept them. Either path could end in disbarment for a person whose judgement for years decided the fate of Cook County's most vulnerable kids for years.