Glenview Man Pleads Guilty to Perjury Charge for Lying to Federal Grand Jury Investigating Possible Hiring Violations in Cook County Circuit Court Clerk’s Office

CHICAGO — A Glenview man who was hired by the Cook County Circuit Court Clerk’s Office after loaning $15,000 to a company controlled by the Clerk’s husband pleaded guilty to a perjury charge today for lying during testimony before a federal grand jury.

SIVASUBRAMANI RAJARAM admitted in a plea agreement that in August 2014 he loaned $15,000 to Goat Masters Corp., whose president was the husband of the Cook County Circuit Court Clerk.  The following month, Rajaram was hired by the Clerk’s Office as a level four Senior Clerk, according to the plea agreement.  Rajaram had previously worked in the Clerk’s Office but had been living in India for several years.

On or about Oct. 1, 2015, Rajaram testified before a federal grand jury that was investigating possible criminal violations in connection with the purchasing of jobs and promotions within the Clerk’s Office.  During his testimony, Rajaram said he had not spoken to the Circuit Court Clerk after his 2014 hiring.  He also testified that he had spoken to another high-ranking employee of the Clerk’s Office only “three or four times” since returning to Chicago from India.  Rajaram admitted in the plea agreement that both statements were false. 

Rajaram, 48, of Glenview, pleaded guilty to one count of making a false declaration before a grand jury.  The charge is punishable by up to five years in prison and a maximum fine of $250,000.  U.S. District Judge John W. Darrah scheduled a sentencing hearing for Sept. 14, 2016, at 1:30 p.m.

The guilty plea was announced by Zachary T. Fardon, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; Anita Alvarez, Cook County State’s Attorney; Patrick M. Blanchard, Cook County Inspector General; and Michael J. Anderson, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

The government is represented by Assistant United States Attorneys Heather McShain and Ankur Srivastava.

Plea Agreement