A former food inspector for the Chicago Public Health Department has been sentenced to two and a half years in prison for taking bribes for food safety certifications for people who had not passed required tests or taken requisite courses.
WLSAM.com writes that Maryanne Koll, who taught food sanitation courses and administered exams to people seeking certification between 1995 and 2007, accepted at least $96,930 from 531 people in bribes. Koll had been convicted last year of the conspiracy to commit bribery, for which she was charged in 2007.
The course Koll taught required 15 hours of training on food safety and sanitation. Illinois state law requires all food service establishments to have at least one certified manager on site at all times. Koll would complete forms herself for those whom bribed her and sell them for cash.
The Chicago Tribune writes that those seeking the certificates paid Koll between $300 and $400 a pop for them.
Court documents reveal that Koll was charged alongside Robert Henry, who served as Supervising Sanitarian between 1989 and May of 2004. Henry's "primary duties were to conduct inspections of food establishments in accordance with the Municipal Code." Henry was charged for referring people to Koll and receiving kickbacks for each person. He plead guilty in 2007.
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