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Little Village residents allege fake settlement checks in smokestack implosion case, demand FBI investigation
A group of Little Village residents said they are getting fake checks from the settlement related to the botched smokestack implosion nearly four years ago.
CHICAGO - A group of Little Village residents said they are receiving fake checks from the settlement related to a botched smokestack implosion nearly four years ago.
In 2020, demolition of the former Crawford Coal Plant covered parts of Little Village in a blanket of dust.
Hilco Redevelopment Partners, MCM Management Corp, Controlled Demolition, Inc., and Marine Technology Solutions agreed to settle a class action lawsuit for $12.25 million.
A group of Little Village residents, led by Radames Pina, held a press conference on Sunday claiming that some checks were for people that had passed away or names that were fabricated. Pina went on to state that residents want the FBI involved.
The group also believe the money is "a drop in the bucket" for something they said was catastrophic.
"There needs to be a lot of accountability here. As a result, there's many ramifications. People suffered emotional distress, respiratory illness and have this in mind – this occurred during COVID-19. We were really dealing with a big challenge," Pina said.
RELATED: Attorney files lawsuit after smokestack demolition covers Little Village in dust
More than 20,000 residents are impacted by the settlement. Each is expected to receive about $317.