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former Cook County official and lobbyist, Armando Saleh, received tens of thousands of dollars in tax breaks he wasn't entitled to on two small apartment buildings he owns. Saleh paid $96,000 in back taxes and penalties after an investigation found he had been wrongly granted 34 tax exemptions by the tax assessor.

    Saleh applied for homeowner, senior citizen, and senior assessment freeze exemptions on both properties, despite not meeting the requirements for the latter two. He was not of qualifying age for the senior exemption and continued to apply for it over six years, starting in 2017. Saleh's case is one of ten identified by Cook County Assessor Fritz Kaegi as receiving improper benefits.

    The Assessor's Office has notified homeowners who received improper exemptions, offering them the option to repay or contest the findings. While Saleh has resolved his debt, six others are disputing their cases. Since taking office in 2019, Kaegi's administration has identified $42.8 million in erroneous exemptions, with approximately $26.7 million recovered.

    Kaegi is pursuing back taxes from Brookdale Senior Living Solutions for exemptions granted to four of its facilities, and his office is considering whether Saleh's actions warrant a referral to the Cook County State's Attorney for possible criminal investigation. Illinois law allows for prosecution of homeowners who falsely apply for tax exemptions.