Orlando Jones, the top aide and godson of former Cook County Board President John Stroger, parlayed his connections into a lucrative career as a behind-the-scenes government consultant with ties stretching from Chicago to Springfield and Las Vegas.
But in the last year, his quiet, insider role had brought him under more scrutiny of law enforcement, and on Tuesday he met with his lawyer to discuss how to refute allegations that he was involved in a contract scheme at a Las Vegas public hospital.
A day later, Jones, 52, was found dead on a beach in southwest Michigan, and authorities said they believe he shot himself near the vacation property where he had hoped to build a home.
A couple walking the beach found him at about 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, hours after his wife had called police when she found what Jones’ lawyer described as a suicide note at his Chicago home.
Jones’ death sent a shock through government circles, and both friends and acquaintances struggled with the notion that potential legal troubles would lead a hard-nosed veteran of the city’s tough political scene to take his own life.
“I’m not saying there’s foul play involved. I’m telling you if he did take his own life, there were demons haunting him that I was totally unaware of,” said his lawyer, Robert Stephenson. “Our conversation, part of it, was about the future.”
Last week, police in Las Vegas recommended that Jones be charged in an investigation into alleged corruption at the public hospital there, Stephenson confirmed. The local prosecutor is reviewing the police report, and no charges have been filed.
Stephenson said he and Jones met for a lengthy lunch Tuesday to talk about the allegations involving the public hospital that had been run by a former Cook County official.
Stephenson said they reviewed documentation that they were confident would refute the allegations.
Stephenson said Jones, who had two sons, seemed to be in fine spirits and that he talked about future business ventures.
Stephenson said he was contacted by Jones’ family Wednesday and was told that Jones did not come home Tuesday night. They also said Jones’ wife, Cerrelda, had found a note in his desk drawer. Stephenson said it outlined how Jones wanted his affairs handled after his death.
Jones was a longtime insider in Cook County government, where there is an ongoing federal investigation into hiring practices, and where a minority contractor scheme at the new public hospital has garnered criminal convictions.
Stephenson said Jones had not been approached by federal authorities regarding investigations in Cook County.
Jones left the county in 2001, having served in several capacities, including six years as John Stroger’s chief of staff. After he left, he went to work for Antoin “Tony” Rezko, who later came under federal indictment for an alleged corruption scheme at the State of Illinois and separately for his business dealings.
Stephenson said Jones has never been questioned by federal authorities in the Rezko investigation. In a 2005 interview, Jones said he was friends with Rezko but that they had severed their business ties.
