Rezko lawyers want wife to keep money

Jailed political fundraiser Antoin "Tony" Rezko's lawyers asked a court to allow his wife to keep $105,000 that she posted as his bond and which federal prosecutors are now trying to seize.

"The government's opportunistic attempt to seize assets posted during trial by Mrs. Rezko as a condition of Mr. Rezko's release should be rejected by this court," Rezko's attorneys said in court papers filed Wednesday with U.S. District Judge Amy J. St. Eve.

Rezko, whose prodigious fundraising helped to bankroll the campaigns of Sen. Barack Obama and Gov. Rod Blagojevich, was convicted of 18 counts of fraud and other offenses involving the use of influence in state government to squeeze companies seeking to do business with the state for kickbacks.

He is due to be sentenced Sept. 3. The government also wants the court to make him forfeit $250,000.

The $105,207.14 in question was part of an $8 million bond posted to keep Rezko out of jail during part of his trial. According to the court papers, the money came from the sale of 62 acres of undeveloped land just south of Chicago's downtown district to London-based billionaire Nadhmi Auchi. The Iraqi-born tycoon was at one time a partner of Rezko's in the property.

Rezko's lawyers said in their court papers that "there is no question that the $105,207.14 is unrelated to offenses of conviction."

"The government does not contend that these funds have any nexus to the charged conduct," they said.

The attorneys said that "Mr. Rezko's family should not be punished" for posting bond for him.

Rezko, who has dual U.S. and Syrian nationality, was taken into custody immediately after he was convicted by a jury in June.