Former Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot released her initial findings of an investigation into Dolton’s finances amid an ongoing financial crisis engulfing the village.
Lightfoot, a former federal prosecutor, found the village has had no annual report or audit since 2021, with the general fund for day-to-day operations about $3.65 million in debt.
The investigation also found that as of June 18, 589 checks worth more than $6 million had been cleared, but not sent to suppliers.
Several purchases made by the village are under investigation, including $40,000 worth of purchases from Amazon. The Dolton Village Board recently approved a change to the village’s credit card policy.
Lightfoot said Henyard, the subject of numerous lawsuits and investigations, was uncooperative with her investigation.
“I knew we were broke, and the way she broke it down, this is real,” resident Valerie Stubbs told NBC Chicago.
Lightfoot added that her investigation into Dolton officials is not complete.
The findings come as Dolton’s acting police chief, who was placed on leave earlier this week, was terminated, with a plan in place for a hiring freeze, according to village trustees.
The Village Board also said the locks at Village Hall have been changed for the third time, leaving several elected officials unable to access them.