The Latest: Lawyer: Ex-Chicago alderman will fight charges

CHICAGO (AP) - The Latest on the indictment of former Chicago alderman Edward Vrdolyak (all times local):

1:50 p.m.

An attorney for an ex-Chicago alderman nicknamed "Fast Eddie" for his deal-making skills says millions of dollars someone agreed to pay his client in a tobacco settlement amounted to "referral fees."

The filing in Chicago federal court doesn't charge Edward Vrdolyak (ver-doh-LEE-ack) with improperly accepting money even though he did no legal work on the litigation that pitted the state of Illinois against major tobacco companies. He's charged instead with violating federal tax law.

Vrdolyak's attorney, Michael Monico, said Tuesday that the 78-year-old would fight the charges. Monico called the indictment "confusing" and "disappointing."

The indictment says one lawyer who did do work on the settlement later agreed to pay Vrdolyak $65 million from fees set aside for law firms that aided Illinois on the litigation. Monico says any such payments were "referral fees" and legal under Illinois law.

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12:45 p.m.

A newly unsealed indictment says an ex-Chicago alderman nicknamed "Fast Eddie" for his adeptness at backroom dealing was offered millions in legal fees from a tobacco settlement even though he did no legal work.

The filing in Chicago federal court charges Edward Vrdolyak (ver-doh-LEE-ack) with violating federal tax law. A Tuesday message for his lawyer seeking comment wasn't returned.

The indictment says one lawyer referred to as "Individual B" agreed to pay Vrdolyak $65 million from fees paid to private law firms that aided Illinois during the tobacco litigation. It doesn't say what Vrdolyak might have actually received.

The case was opened last year indicting someone else. A superseding indictment this month also names Vrdolyak.

Vrdolyak spent 10 months in prison in 2011 in a real estate kickback scheme.