Ex-Mayor Indicted for Alleged Scheme Involving Metropolis’s Comp Protection| Staff Compensation Information

Thursday, July 29, 2021 | 0

According to a Belleville News-Democrat report, a federal grand jury charged an ex-mayor of a southern Illinois town with lying to investigators about his role in an insurance scheme involving the mayor of another town.

Tim Lowry

Former Red Bud Mayor Tim Lowry has been charged with false testimony to members of the Southern Illinois Public Corruption Task Force. Columbia Mayor Kevin Hutchinson was charged on February 24th on the same charges.

Hutchinson resigned March 1 and pleaded guilty on March 22. He was sentenced to two years probation and a $ 500 fine.

The charges allege that Hutchinson was a director of CJ Thomas Insurance Co. of St. Louis and owned BMC Associates. According to the report, he was earning insurance policy commission for Columbia City employees without the city council knowing about it.

Lowry was an insurance agent and owner of the Ackermann Agency.

Hutchinson reportedly recommended that Columbia take out liability and workers’ compensation insurance through Ackermann.

Lowry told investigators that he didn’t pay Hutchinson for the transfer, but Lowry reportedly directed $ 15,854 to CJ Thomas from 2016 to 2018, or about 40% of the commissions he earned on Columbia’s policy.