Auto dealers can't haggle on sentence

Two Chicago auto dealers convicted of swapping Jaguars, BMWs and Cadillacs for millions of dollars in drug money learned Wednesday that they will go to prison for 20 years and 15 years, respectively.

"It would be difficult to conceive of a money laundering offense more offensive than what we have here," federal Judge Milton I. Shadur said.

Amir Hosseini, 50, of Winnetka and Hossein Obai, 54, of Northbrook were convicted in February of laundering millions of dollars for the Gangster Disciples and other big Chicago gangs while living in multimillion-dollar homes in Chicago's affluent North Shore suburbs. Hosseini, the alleged mastermind, will be sentenced to 20 years and Obai 15 years.

Relatives of the defendants wailed loudly in the court and the hall outside after Shadur imposed what he acknowledged were tough sentences.

"Twenty years is somewhat worse than a sharp stick in the eye," Shadur said. "Here we're talking about hard time."

Prosecutors said the two men deserved what they got because they helped the gangs hide profits from selling cocaine and heroin.

Witnesses called by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Daniel D. Rubenstein and Lisa M. Noller testified that the two men were well aware the money they took in came from narcotics sales but didn't care.

Shadur did not officially impose the sentences because he still awaits financial information before deciding how much to fine the two men and what restitution if any to order. But he made it clear the sentences he announced are his final decision and will not change.

Shadur did not announce a time when he will finish the sentencing.

More than a dozen other defendants were convicted as part of the investigation, including a staff member of the Illinois secretary of state's office who accepted payoffs to refrain from auditing paperwork required when automobiles are sold. She was sentenced to six months of house arrest and another six months of probation.