U.S. District Judge John F. Heil III has overturned the previous ruling granting bail to Bolanle Bombata, also known as Bobo Chicago, after FBI prosecutors presented compelling evidence that he posed a significant flight risk. This decision follows the U.S. government’s swift appeal of the initial bail grant.
On 26 November, Magistrate Judge Beth Jantz had allowed Bombata to be released on bail. However, the U.S. government moved quickly to obtain a stay of execution to prevent the order, citing concerns about Bombata’s lack of integrity and potential to flee before his trial.
FBI prosecutors emphasised Bobo Chicago’s history of dishonesty and criminal behaviour as evidence that he could not be trusted to attend future hearings. They noted his 2020 arrest for illegal gun possession, during which he was found with $17,000 in cash, multiple debit and credit cards, and cheque books issued in other people’s names. This case remains unresolved in Illinois.
Bobo Chicago’s lies about travel history
Bombata’s claims about never having travelled outside the United States were also disputed. During a pre-trial interview about his involvement in a $2.8 million fraud scheme, he stated that he had never left the country. However, a government informant revealed that Bob Chicago had travelled to several European and Eastern European countries, including the UK, Ukraine, and Germany, for fraudulent activities.
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The prosecution pointed out that Bombata had failed to disclose important travel details during the pre-trial interview, including trips to Nigeria (where his parents reside), Germany, and Colombia in recent years. Prosecutors argued that his dishonesty undermined any confidence in his willingness to comply with bail conditions.
Defence lawyer argues lies were ‘unintentional”
The public defender representing Bobo Chicago claimed that the omissions about his travels were “unintentional.” However, the prosecution maintained that the defendant’s deceitfulness, even when given the opportunity to correct his statements, raised serious doubts about his trustworthiness.
Despite Bombata surrendering his passport, the FBI highlighted his criminal history, which they argued demonstrated his ability to obtain false identification and potentially flee the country to avoid prosecution.
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After reviewing the evidence, Judge Heil concluded that the prosecution’s case was too strong to ignore. He ruled that Bobo Chicago would remain in custody throughout his trial.
“Accordingly, defendant will be detained pending trial,” stated Judge Heil.
“It is therefore ordered that the Government’s Appeal of Magistrate Judge’s Order [Dkt. No. 13] is granted and the Order Setting Conditions of Release is reversed.”