VIDEO: Man Awarded $25 Million for Wrongful Conviction Used Money to Lead Street Gang
A judge has sentenced a Chicago man, who won a $25 million award in 2012 for a wrongful murder conviction only to spend it on rebuilding his Simon City Royals street gang, to nine years and two months in prison.
It only took five years for 38-year-old Thaddeus Jimenez to blow through his fortune of $12.5 million after attorney fees. Some of the money was spent on guns and cars.
Prosecutors said the gang leader was looking for someone to shoot in August 2015 when he drove his Mercedes convertible up to former gang member Earl Casteel and shot him in the legs.
While he was given nine years for federal gun charges on Thursday, he still faces state criminal charges for shooting Casteel, WLS TV reports.
Jimenez was convicted of murdering Eric Morro, 19, when he was 13-years-old. He spent 16 years in prison before his conviction was vacated in 2009.
Jimenez sued the city of Chicago and several officers, claiming police ignored evidence against another teen. He was awarded the $25 million in 2012.
