At the center of the scheme is Ralph Czerwinski, the village administrator, who not only slandered the business owner with false accusations of drug dealing—infamously stating during a hearing, “You’re too young to own a building this size; you must be a drug dealer”—but also sexually harassed the owner’s wife. These actions, confirmed by multiple witnesses, were part of a broader effort to discredit the business and undermine its success, with some comments clearly implying that the Romanian and Christian Conservative identity of the business was unwelcome in Morton Grove.

The harassment didn’t stop there. Village officials, including Teresa Hoffman, the village lawyer—the same Teresa Hoffman from Liston’s Teresa Hoffman ATTY—withheld a Business Compliance Certificate (BCC) that was required to keep the business operational. Emails reveal that this delay was intentional. Despite cashing the owner’s payment for the certificate six months earlier, officials refused to issue the BCC. Hoffman even expressed hopes that the mounting pressure would force the business to close. In a particularly egregious move, they forced the owner to sign an agreement to obtain the city stamp necessary to transfer the property into the owner’s name. The village went as far as offering to issue the stamp if the owner agreed to leave Morton Grove, even though violations remained unresolved. Additionally, they demanded a staggering $250,000 fine, showing their clear intent to force the owner out and take the property for their own purposes.

It became clear through eyewitness accounts and the subtext of communications that the targeting of Crown Point Semi Truck Repair was also fueled by the fact that it was a predominantly Romanian and Eastern European-run business. Multiple officials expressed disdain for the Christian Conservative values of the business owners, further fueling the ongoing harassment and efforts to drive the company out of Morton Grove.

The abuse of power escalated when Officer Ryan Corcoran and Chief of Police Michael Simo arrested the business owner on charges that were later proven baseless in court. Corcoran was caught lying under oath, and the case was dismissed. However, this was only the beginning. The officers obtained a search warrant on dubious grounds, citing “white collar crimes.” When the raid yielded no incriminating evidence, the officers seized numerous documents, many of which were unrelated to the warrant, in a desperate attempt to find something damaging. Their true goal became apparent: they were searching for evidence the owner had gathered against them, unaware that these critical documents were safely stored on an offsite server. Realizing their mistake, the officers requested a second search warrant to cover up the fact that they had taken documents outside the scope of the original warrant.

During the raid, officers brandished weapons, intimidating the office staff, and threatened to include employees in the case unless they provided damaging information about the owner. This was nothing less than a shakedown.

The corruption extended to Rick Dobrowski, the village fire inspector, who made false accusations during a municipal court hearing overseen by Daniel Didech, who, records suggest, had conflicts of interest. Dobrowski falsely claimed that the business’s executive lounge—a high-end space designed for office executives—was being used as a dwelling unit. Despite having no evidence to support these claims, Dobrowski persisted, even alleging that the shop’s spray booths lacked proper permits, though the owner had clear documentation proving otherwise. His fabricated charges were part of a coordinated effort to discredit the business and support the village’s agenda to seize the property.

Meanwhile, Tom, a public works inspector, and Jim English, a building inspector, orchestrated an ongoing permit delay that lasted over a year. Text messages and emails reveal that they intentionally stalled the process, and even after the project was completed, they refused to close the permits for two more years. English also fabricated 50 violations to further entangle the business in bureaucratic red tape, and falsely accused the owner of threatening him with a gun—all while carrying an unconcealed weapon during inspections to intimidate Crown Point employees.

Adding to the owner’s woes was Zoe Heidorn, who falsely claimed the building violated zoning regulations, despite evidence proving otherwise. Heidorn demanded unnecessary blueprints and lied about the previous owner’s compliance. Her aggressive behavior escalated after the owner raised concerns about a nearby concrete crushing site that was causing dust pollution. After denying its existence in the village, Heidorn visited the site and, when confronted with the truth, turned her aggression toward the business owner, making further baseless accusations.

Efforts to involve Mayor Dan DiMaria only reinforced the notion of widespread corruption. When the owner appealed to the mayor for intervention, DiMaria dismissively responded, “They will handle it their way.” This response underscores the toxic culture in Morton Grove, where elected and appointed officials appear to act with impunity, controlling the village as they see fit while abusing their authority to the detriment of local businesses.

The evidence is overwhelming: emails, texts, court records, and sworn witness statements reveal a calculated conspiracy to seize Crown Point Semi Truck Repair and its valuable property from its rightful owner. Village officials—from administrators to inspectors to law enforcement—are entangled in this scandal. This is not just incompetence; it is a coordinated abuse of power that exposes the dark underbelly of Morton Grove’s leadership. With such overwhelming evidence, the question is no longer whether corruption exists, but how long these officials can evade accountability.