Information released shows that a former top House Republican wired $3,000 to an extortionist in the Philippines before alerting police in July. Ex-Rep. Ron Sandack of Downers Grove acknowledged in September that he had an "inappropriate" Skype video conversation with a woman who contacted him on Facebook.
The conversation's content remains secret but Downers Grove Police revealed that Sandack answered extortion demands of $1,000, then $2,000 over the next two days. He alerted police after receiving a $5,000 demand.
Police disclosed the information after the state attorney general agreed with appeals from news media that more of the still-heavily redacted report should be disclosed under the Freedom of Information Act. Sandack resigned in July.