In a shocking presentation on Thursday night, former Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot revealed the findings of her investigation into the Village of Dolton’s financial crisis, exposing alleged misuse of taxpayer funds by current Mayor Tiffany Henyard.
Lightfoot, who was hired by Dolton village trustees in April to serve as a special investigator, shared details that left many community members stunned.
Her report highlighted the drastic decline in the village’s finances under Henyard’s leadership since she took office in 2021.
According to Lightfoot, Dolton’s general fund balance dropped from $5.61 million in April 2022 to a deficit of $3.65 million by May 2024.
The report pointed to questionable credit card transactions, including a $33,005 purchase on Amazon and thousands of dollars spent at other retailers like Target and Wayfair.
Lightfoot’s team uncovered that receipts for these purchases were “rarely provided,” raising further concerns about transparency.
One of the most alarming findings was the revelation that 589 checks totaling over $6 million were approved and printed but never sent to vendors. Community members expressed outrage, with one Dolton resident, Andrea McKay, stating:
“I am devastated that this woman came into our town and spent all of our tax money.”
Adding to the controversy, the investigation uncovered that two Dolton police officers received overtime pay exceeding their annual salaries, with one officer earning over $114,800 in overtime on top of an $87,295 salary.
Mayor Henyard did not attend Thursday’s meeting, and sources indicated that she has changed the locks at Village Hall amid ongoing tensions.
Earlier in the week, Henyard was seen with criminal defense attorneys during a village board meeting, where several Dolton employees were laid off due to financial constraints.
The situation in Dolton has sparked a federal investigation, and Lightfoot indicated that this is just the beginning of her probe into the village’s finances.
She plans to investigate further the “cross-pollination” between Dolton and Thornton Township, where Henyard also serves as supervisor, and taxpayer-funded trips to Las Vegas in 2022 and 2023.
