>> Good >> evening and thanks for joining us on the weekend review.

I'm Nick Plummer.

2 doctors charged with draining Loretto Hospital of millions of dollars reportedly living large on the run in Dubai.

The mayor wants to curb smoking on the CTA, sparking questions from an alderman whose already announced a similar effort.

And the city makes a major investment to improve its shelter system for Chicagoans experiencing homelessness.

>> We're talking about all that and much more this week.

And we've got a great panel here to help us do it.

They are Michael.

It rot from Block club.

Chicago.

Kelly Bauer also from Block Club.

Chicago.

Justin Kaufmann from Axios and Maggie Hendricks from Yahoo.

Sports.

Let's get right to it.

Thank you all for being here.

So Kelly, as we know, prosecutors say an ocean bed and Samir Stu Hale stole 50 million dollars from Laredo Hospital on the West side and then illegally steered another 19 million in contracts to see hail.

So to some great reporting here at block club, they're now in Dubai.

Why did they end up there?

What's life like for these guys?

These days are hurting shows that they fled to Dubai shortly before charges came down in May and June of 2024.

And even before that.

>> And indeed, by their living, quite interesting lifestyles, Mr. Suhail has a luxury plastic surgery clinic where they do all kinds of things.

You know, cat eye surgeries sounds from facials.

>> And we have photos and videos of him wearing $250,000 watches, $500 designer sunglasses.

And then Mister MADD has been living a little quieter on social media but has been issuing dozens and dozens and dozens of news release says about his per per did charitable and business activities and they often include these edited photos of him where it's his face, put onto somebody else's body.

And what we noted is that more and more these news releases are appealing to President Donald Trump that he is describing himself as a Republican finger and someone who has strong conservative values.

But what our reporting found is that he hasn't voted in Harris County where he lived or in Chicago where he also lived apart from the 2020 election and that his political donations have been bipartisan going to a Democrat and Republican.

He also had no public political rows before this.

So it's very interesting to see what's happening versus what he said >> Well, and as we know, you know, they have connections to the Trump family dating back years.

You know, reportedly helping one of the president's sons get vaccinated.

You know, with all these sorts of connections, all the ways that, you know, he's describing himself.

Do you think there's maybe a bid for clemency here?

>> Absolutely.

I think that these are direct appeals to President Donald Trump in hopes that he will be able to get a pardon either before or after, you know, conviction.

And I spoke to an expert actually several experts who said that in their opinion, they see the same thing.

They said that there are a lot of norms being destroyed in the world of clemency and that it's not unthinkable that even with the charges they face, that they could be pardoned to be able to return to the United States.

And that's what's difficult about this story.

Is that the ripping off Loretto Hospital which accused of ripping off, but the but the point being.

>> And that is a that is a safety net hospital that is set to the point where if there's clear talking about clemency were pardons, but at the end of the day, these are there for fraudulent accusations of of of COVID tests for COVID vaccines and everything in between stealing from the lowest of the low.

So I don't I wonder if the president will take into account if you're talking about clemency and pardons, maybe not this president, but there are, you know, the idea that what the actual crime was or that crime, you know, if there is a conviction, I mean that that to me is the question.

Yeah, not exactly a hospital flush with cash in say, you know, rich, North shore suburb or something.

Yeah.

I think that's something that it's always important to remind folks of is this isn't just a story about them living in Trump Tower, something like this.

>> These are the most vulnerable people in our city are served by Loretto Hospital and millions were taken from from that hospital that supposed to care for them, especially think about politicize.

>> This will come in the case of any clemency happening where the reality of this is taxpayer money at the center of these charges.

And like you said, when it comes this being a safety net hospital and then the disparities, when you look at the west side of Chicago.

Just the political fall, should Trump really rise up to those charges for clemency or try a clemency.

And that's sad.

The scene at bats com, the way to go from allegedly Eric Adams, 2 p Diddy to now this that invite you in hot water.

Just make an appeal to the president and just hope for the best.

That is really sad be very interesting to see whether anything actually reaches the president's desk.

>> What Michael, you reported this week on the city's new efforts to improve conditions in homeless shelters.

We've got a bit here from Mayor Brandon Johnson, what he had to say about this major new investment.

Together.

We are thrilled to announce the largest ever investment in shelter, infrastructure improvements.

>> And modernization in Chicago's history.

>> So that sounds like a pretty significant step here.

What are the details on this effort?

40 million dollars through an issue.

An initiative by DFS S. >> And a lot of this going towards adding dignity and upgrades to a lot of facilities across the city.

And when I say dignity, it comes in the form of individual rooms where form where a lot of the shelters in the city have congregate housing where you and even your family of should you have entered a shelter may get put in more of a dorm style housing.

And when people think about some of the challenges socially for keeping people in shelters, it goes, people don't feel safe or comfortable.

Some now having your own bedroom, your own storage, as well as a bathroom is going to help people feel dignified.

And a lot of the shelters are really old and some as mentioned, I was at that press conference.

Some shelters don't have air conditioning and have fans put up.

That was at Saint winners on the near West Side.

They're going through a multi-million dollar expansion 2 and a lot of these amenities that we just take for granted.

And so not only when we think about homelessness but re-entry for returning citizens and also women shelters.

This is going to help a lot of Chicago's out.

Yeah, that's one of the things you hear often from folks, you know, saying that I don't want to go to a shelter because it is a congregate setting because I thrown together.

>> Well, the mayor also signed an executive order this week that's aimed at curbing smoking on the CTA.

Let's listen to a little bit of that.

>> charge our city departments and agencies with putting forth recommendations for the short term long-term interventions to increase public safety and in smoking on our transit system.

So, you know, this is something riders have been complaining about for years and years.

I mean, what?

Why tackle it now?

>> You know, and also an executive order and why you think about just that in the country right now, some executive orders that seems to be the way things are going.

>> Here we are in Chicago where smoking on the train is an executive order that they want to take this on.

And yes, we have had complaints over time, time and time.

I think it's a good move by the mayor to put this front and center.

I think that they're already movements as we won't mention the top by other by alderman and all the people who are wanted to do this as well.

So this is a shared.

Idea to try and stop something and what's really at the core is that the actual experience on the CTA is subpar.

at point, we have address that.

We have to address the fact that our one of our crown jewels.

I mean, this is really one of the best things about Chicago.

This this this great public transit system that can go every which way and covers being swaths and could cover more needs to be kind of rained in, especially since COVID and what you hear over and over is smoking marijuana, which is not part of this.

There's no executive order on marijuana.

know, put the presence on on the actual platforms, not trains.

There's a lot keep going and going and going where people are just not necessarily feeling safe on the train.

And that's that that needs to change.

If you're going to get people to go back and actually get back into the habit of using public transportation.

Yeah, something people have lot of concerns about.

Yeah, I think for me, one of the main things that need be fixed, though, >> is we need to start with the trains and buses running on time running at a regular interval because I can't trust taking the bus.

So if someone smoking near me, I don't want that happening of I don't want to be anywhere near it.

But I think once said there is more regularity and you can trust when the bus or the red line or whatever is coming that it makes it.

So there are more people and people are less likely to light up with.

There's a whole bunch of people.

what's with this is U.S. executive order just gives funds for education campaigns.

>> And that's the part we're going to see a lot of placards on the train saying Don't smoke.

It's no joke.

Don't smoke or some like, you know, like whatever they come up with a higher services are available, but but at the end of the day, I'm not.

You know, the mayor will say the police will say we ticket people for smoking right time and with ETA has said write It's not that there are people are thinking can get away with that.

They're just doing and they'll take the they'll take the chance.

And so there has to be something more.

So that's what the of the mayor's trying to do is can an education can a quirky marketing campaign get people to stop smoking?

Justin probably says no to that concept, but maybe it will work.

Yeah, he was interesting seeing an alderman Bill Conway kind of came out and said, yeah, I had something along these lines already and we haven't coordinated, but I'm glad to hear that there's an effort underway.

So.

>> We'll see where this Well, us and some other city news.

A city council committee met earlier this week to discuss the potential revenue if they legalize video gaming experts say not to expect a windfall, but older people work little bit skeptical here.

Some of Alderman Andrea Vasquez.

>> People play games.

They said the gas stations, they plan on their phones.

People go to the casino because people want to get, you know, want to experience more than just the gaming part.

And so if we're in a world where you're not losing.

Any head count of who's going to these places and they're ultimately making revenue off of the experience.

And you're seeing this growth in Bgt.

It kind of makes sense.

To expand all possible opportunities.

>> Okay.

So you know how about that, Maggie?

Are they saying it's not a 0 sum game here?

You know, we can we can do this, but are all the people being overly optimistic about the potential revenue here?

Maybe because the cities, you know, fiscal situation is so dire?

Yeah, absolutely of or I haven't seen there's video gaming all over the suburbs and you haven't seen.

>> Of suburbs turn into palaces.

You haven't seen these places just become the greatest places on earth just because they happen a video gaming.

They still have problems in the schools in the suburbs.

They still have kinds of issues.

So I feel like it's one more time we go to the gambling trough and it hasn't paid off yet.

So like, you know, what are we even doing here?

Yes, absolutely.

You're right.

I was 2018, 2019 where they said, you know what?

We're going to have a really shiny news casino.

Chicago's finally going to get one and the revenue and that's going to blow your mind.

What happened?

Well, as you see just not coming to visit or work near where just and now we're the lay-in and building the actual spot and all that goes it.

What it says at the end of the day is that as you mentioned, this idea that >> that we're going to find the revenue we need out of gambling that we're going to take advantage of.

>> Of of video poker or video gaming or an actual casino.

It doesn't come to fruition.

And I think we had this conversation in the city a couple of times now where we keep acting like that's going to be that's going you know what, 100 Billion.

Now we got that worry about And it's also one more thing that just completely leans usually on the most vulnerable people that to get deaths.

>> Who will spend the most gambling unfortunately.

And so that ends up.

We are going to them for golden goose and that goes under says not exist.

And it's not a fair thing and Vazquez points out to which I think is important is at the end of the day, they're already out there.

>> And video machines, if you've been in any bars and places that maybe aren't in the timeout guide to to Chicago, there's machines in there.

So he's talking also about what we just mix tax and when we collect some of that revenue.

So it's not like he's thinking about outfitting trip.

Only with a moment, but maybe that'll be maybe that's the like when you go into a lot of the Cook County suburbs.

Yeah, there is not a place you can go to without at least 4 or 5 machines and somebody, you know, playing poker and stuff like that.

And it just.

>> Honestly, it just makes it kind of key and also to bring up the difference in revenue that would come from.

>> These video games versus a dedicated casino.

And so would a little bit of reporting.

It's like 20% of per se Bally's in Chicago will go towards the city.

First with these video games and being 5%.

And when a with a lot of this issue, we think about the idea of if you build it, they will come.

But it comes down to building it.

And as we've seen with Bally's just how much it takes to actually get it going.

And I think it's going take a lot when it comes to just Chicago gambling based.

You can say for that to unlearn the behavior of going outside the city to gamble because you have casinos in northwest Indiana.

You have video games and the suburbs.

And so it's going to take a lot for Bally's to get up and running and then something that's a successful infrastructure for video games in the city to make people seriously considered versus just drive in 30 minutes for something that's proven to have a better time or take the bus because there's shuttle buses all into the city.

You don't even have to drive yourself to go to Anand.

very easy for.

Of course, this all comes as >> you know, we heard the mayor saying we're not going to have a property tax coming right on the heels of, you know, his CFO saying, well, it's likely that we're going to have one.

I mean.

>> How tough of a budget season do you think they're sort of bracing theirselves for coming up and trying to think ahead of like what are the options we have here?

>> I think we're looking extremely difficult budgeting season we've seen at the past few cycles where it's just rough, hard negotiations.

I think last year was very challenging.

And I don't see any signs of that's going to get easier.

I think Mayor Johnson isn't necessarily the same style of mayor that we had years past.

But it was just kind of a checkmark for the city council to get things through.

And that's making everything a little more difficult.

All right.

Let's talk about some more fun the city.

Doesn't have any Metra is trying to lure some passengers back with the possible return of the cafe cars.

Maggie, >> big splash like this could help boost the ridership.

They're still looking for.

I mean, I love taking mattress.

Oh, I wish everybody would just just join me.

But, you know, if you want to give me some snacks and maybe maybe a little glass of wine league.

I'm down with that.

Let's try it.

Yeah.

Okay.

As someone who writes to question every time I write the metric, nobody's talking to each other.

>> There isn't this communal.

Let's all hang out in a car.

There's a don't want to sit down, but I want to talk to wine of the cafe is hey, everyone's, you know, they have a photo for in only.

I didn't want to be standing and drinking their coffee.

And good to see Good to see you.

Good to on on the metro here.

Pretty much like I don't want to see a talk.

So how do you get people out of that?

We talk about habits, how to get people out of that habit.

Now, you know that the harken back to the bar cars that has some of they're going to anything to drink.

No, right.

But again, the park cars, why the barkers of the Met Run heyday before 2008 before the end.

again, not a place where everybody is hanging around having a swing and great Gatsby It was a I was the bar car, meaning everyone at a joint.

It was like quiet others.

there's a subtle I sometimes I think we like the revisionist history when it comes to what that was because that wasn't necessarily the heyday and we'll see how it goes.

But anytime anything you can do to actually have a good time on transit.

I guess better than smoking.

If he's on the train home from downtown, like I need a drink, of will that be a thing?

The metro pre-game on Happy hour because when I think about my times on Metro, it's not really that long.

But when I do think about people coming in from the suburbs where they have a longer commute.

>> He has like if you have to be at work at 9 and you get on the train at 7, are you really trying to have a social on that commute into the city?

Want a great social hour from Metro.

Go on.

>> Friday, Saturday of Lollapalooza And you're oh, yeah, rolled competition for summer and it is it that that I think that's Barca I think people are ready.

Pre-game retro.

what our I wave to like, I mean, not many other people have had a bottle of on the way up through So, and I definitely had glass and you know, not just from Nevada begin all right.

Michael, in the story that seems like it won't go away no matter how much we might want it Jussie Smollett is set to be the subject of a new documentary and he says.

>> I cast him in a new light.

What did we hear?

>> I never thought that I I did not wake up thinking I was going to spend the day with just one left.

But you never know with this line of work And so yes, he brought up at the Chicago Torture Justice Center, a Netflix documentary that was announced on Tuesday and with that, this is the first documentary that he's actively involved any said that I investigated journalists have for and God what he is describing as the actual footage of him being jumped in 2019 and he says that.

In short is going to corroborate everything is set for almost the last 7 years.

So leaves a lot of questions.

And my defense attorneys do right He said he would not comment further, but he did comment on why wasn't including the trial.

He claims that it was received too late for the trials days for the trial and that his attorneys are already had defense strategy that did not fit that.

But a lot of people may ask the question.

Well, if you have smoking gun evidence from there's room potentially.

So there's a lot there's a lot to be determined.

But this documentary, we'll have to I will be waiting for you to watch that and tell me what exactly going in my view, Well, Kelly, as expected, we got the official word.

NASCAR is headed to San Diego for its 4th of July Street race.

>> You think the doors open for them to come back to Chicago?

Sunday may be on the less busy weekend.

>> Absolutely.

And I think that's what the city is hoping for.

I believe that the man's people behind this had said that they were looking at negotiating an alternate weekend when they could come, you know, originally they were here during the 4th of July weekend, which extremely busy time Chicago.

It was shutting down portions of downtown lakefront area.

And so I think that the city is looking for something that will just be a little easier to manage and easier for folks to get around.

So I think the door is still open for them return.

What's missing in this conversation is that Chicago has the upper NASCAR needs a major market like Chicago.

That's why they came here.

That's why they made the deal the whole bit.

So.

>> The the idea that Chicago wants to move them off, what it's become a little bit of a difficult weekend for the NASCAR street race with all the other things that are happening.

I think it came to a head this year, especially with with the fireworks being on different days and every once like what's downtown, what's happening right now?

>> The sky was a major market for NASCAR to major city.

They want to tap into these big cities.

They want to tap into areas they haven't tapped into before California, Illinois, New York City area.

So they want to be here.

So I do think that the NASCAR we'll look in the mirror and say, you know, maybe 4th of July is in our weekend, maybe in September, maybe it's whatever.

And we'll get back our taste of Chicago and or 16 and softball diamonds down a gravel parking which have been taken away by the NASCAR race.

But you're not bitter about it.

No, no to hole when looking at San Diego, it's gonna be at a naval base is not going to be in downtown San Diego, right?

more logical place, right?

Yeah, right.

And so I really hope that shouldn't come back.

Chicago.

They can figure out a place that can be less disruptive because yes.

>> The loop Grant Park that stretches very iconic, but it's 4th of July weekend.

It could be completely honest.

My family want to come visit the city for July weekend.

I had to be honest with that it now is not the time.

And so we end up doing the following weekend.

But there's a lot of people who want to tour the city want to visit the city before July weekend.

>> But any native we'll tell you when NASCAR is here is not worth the time.

I the live trucks are coming This will not make can you Yeah, A little extra.

in the now national let me see how you navigate let's ago on a dairy, a tough guy.

>> I injury snatched a couple notable stats recently, not only a double double.

Also technical that puts her in line for possible suspension.

>> What a girl up to walk us through Well, honestly, the moment she didn't play yesterday because she's having some back issues.

So she does does have that that issue.

I do think.

>> Angel has one of those problems like.

People already know that she's going to talk back to the refs of than the rest are looking for it.

And so there are times when she gets called for technicals that I am absolutely shocked.

But yeah, if she does get another one within the season and there's still a whole lot more views into play, she will be suspended for a game.

Yeah, it's kind of tough when they're they're watching you and watching.

Like a hawk.

Yes, when you have a piece that I really liked about a WNBA tradition, folks might not know about a Tulsa Camp Day.

>> So can't are throughout the WNBA season like once when we get probably the late June teams will start having games that start at like 11 o'clock noon.

So that day camps and youth basketball teams can come and they're very loud and the kids get so excited.

Every time say I bet you can get louder.

The kids.

Absolutely.

I was wearing earplugs for most of the game, but it's also like that's just the high energy thing.

I saw reply from somebody who had brought their kid to Minnesota Lynx game and the kids said, you know, the Collier with playing a game for the kids just for how can you not love something like that?

So that's a tradition that's been going on Allstate Arena.

my family involved in that.

I mean that if you parked just are camps, things like that.

and they have a blast and they're on their T-shirts.

And it's a fun thing.

That's when, you know, in the WNBA to big, that's when they're like no more You know, primetime honestly, they do.

They keep it around and say I'd like there's already been GM's talking about because there's plenty of places that are already selling out all the time already doing making big numbers.

>> They don't necessarily need campaigns anymore right now.

but it's such an important tradition.

And honestly, the players, they get a kick out of it and everything.

So there I don't see it going anywhere anytime she can't let go of all all the traditions.

Well, speaking of camp Justin, I'm not going to take into about it, but you can keep an eye on bears a training camp or to start for a Chicago Bears.

A new coach, a optimism through the roof and the first 3 days of practice.

The scene.

>> Some pretty a bad football.

The team doesn't know where line up there.

They seem to be out of sorts with what the new coach wants to put there.

Already, the national pundits are saying maybe this is a mistake.

We're 3 days in the camera it's ridiculous.

But again, that's what comes with the territory when you're talking about all the expectations that are on the Chicago Bears shoulders they want.

They got this new coach, Ben Johnson.

They think it's going to be the Detroit Lions.

A 0.2 point.

Oh, and we've got Caleb Williams is second year.

The should be a no-brainer.

They should zipping the ball over and instead what we're seeing is they can't get the they they're throwing interceptions.

They can't get lined up right.

At one point, I think on the first day, Ben Johnson actually pulled the first team offense off the field.

They were that bad.

And so that's not a great start.

But better now.

Alright, better now in September.

When the season starts, take it.

But we're not going to pull you off the field.

You are all great tonight.

But >> we are about out of time.

So our thanks to Michael Lippe truck, Kelly Bauer, Justin Kaufmann and Maggie Hendricks.

And we're back to wrap things up right after this.

>> Chicago tonight is made possible in part why the Alexander and John Nichols family.

The Pope Brothers Foundation, additional support is provided by.

>> And that's our show for this Friday night.

Be sure to sign up for our free email newsletter.

The Daily Chicago and that's a W t Tw Dot Com Slash newsletter.

Now for the weekend review.

I'm Nick Blumberg.

Thank you for watching.

Stay healthy, stay safe and stay informed.

Have a great weekend.

Okay.

Well, we're getting reports this week.

Wrigley Field is expected to host the MLB All-Star Game in 2027 is the press are scheduled for next week.

>> Some of the Cubs in the city have been angling for for quite a while, still some work to be done right before they can actually do this The amount of >> Walker clubhouse face media rooms.

>> Closed captioning is made possible by Clifford and Clifford Law offices, a personal injury law firm,