Former Chicago alderman Proco "Joe" Moreno was formally charged Tuesday in connection with a false police report he allegedly filed in January, according to NBC5 Chicago political reporter Mary Ann Ahern.
The charges for fraud and obstruction of justice come less than a week after Moreno attended a fundraiser for Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden in Chicago on June 12th.
In January, Moreno called police to report his Audi A6 stolen, and notified his insurance carrier. In February, Chicago police pulled over his girlfriend Liliya Hrabar driving the car and arrested her on charges of criminal trespass. Police turned their focus on Moreno, however, when Hrabar produced text messages indicating that Moreno willingly lent her the car the day before he filed a police report.
Charges against Hrabar were dropped, and Proco Moreno was arrested in May on charges of "insurance fraud, disorderly conduct, obstruction of justice and falsely reporting a vehicle stolen." On Tuesday he faced formal arraignment on those charges.
Moreno served as alderman for Chicago’s 1st Ward until February, after losing his bid for re-election. Although he has been ejected from public office and faces serious criminal charges of an insurance fraud scheme, Moreno is still engaging in Democratic political functions.
Moreno, along with several other prominent Chicago politicians and figures, appeared at a fundraiser last Wednesday held by Joe Biden for his 2020 campaign. Also in attendance were former secretary of education Arne Duncan and former senator Carol Mosely Bruan.
The former alderman has faced scrutiny over his conduct in recent years. In 2017 Moreno was accused of using zoning laws to target and intimidate a property owner. In 2018, he was investigated on suspicion of impersonating a police officer during a parking dispute. In February, an ex-staffer leveled a sexual harassment complaint against Moreno.