Lawyer who bilked town gets 6-year sentence

A Chicago attorney was sentenced to six years in prison after pleading guilty to theft of government funds in excess of $100,000.

Mark McCombs was accused of billing the city of Calumet Park $600 per hour for work he never did.

According to the Cook County state’s attorney’s office, the overbilling scheme spanned several years and cost the suburban Chicago community more than $1 million. McCombs entered the guilty plea on Monday.

The Chicago Tribune reports (http://trib.in/p1ixMq) the state’s attorney’s office began investigating McCombs last year after Community High School District 218 Superintendent John Byrne questioned the lawyer about the tax increment financing district.

McCombs allegedly responded by offering to pay the school district for Byrne’s silence. But the officials reported McCombs to village officials.