05172008 - News Article - Son may testify for feds in Cantrell case - Case might last 3 weeks as 30 witnesses take the stand - ROBERT CANTRELL

Son may testify for feds in Cantrell case
Case might last 3 weeks as 30 witnesses take the stand
NWI Times
May 17, 2008
nwitimes.com/news/local/son-may-testify-for-feds-in-cantrell-case/article_525fbcaf-4561-59ef-aaa7-cecad90d2299.html
When East Chicago political insider Robert Cantrell goes on trial later this month, one of the prosecution's central witnesses could be Cantrell's own son, John.

Defense attorney Kevin Milner said during a hearing Friday that he expects federal prosecutors to call John Cantrell as an "important" witness in helping them prove their fraud case against Robert Cantrell.

John Cantrell has not been indicted, but he testified before the grand jury investigating his father's activities, and contradicting grand jury testimony during a criminal trial can carry its own penalties.

Robert Cantrell was charged with, among other things, cajoling government contractor Nancy Fromm to fraudulently provide health insurance for two people who were not on her company's payroll.

The insured were not named in the indictment, but sources have told The Times they were Robert Cantrell's adult children, John and Jennifer.

Whatever John Cantrell might say on the stand, the father and son were friendly toward one another in court Friday, chatting openly as they waited for attorneys to hash out issues during a closed session in U.S. District Judge Rudy Lozano's chambers.

More than 30 witnesses are expected to testify for about three weeks, attorneys said Friday. The trial is set to begin May 27.

Cantrell was under federal investigation for years before a grand jury indicted him in 2007 on 11 felony counts, including insurance fraud, tax evasion and depriving the public of honest services.

Though he has never held elected office, Cantrell has been a key behind-the-scenes figure in East Chicago politics since the 1960s.

He was serving as director of North Township's local relief office in East Chicago when he was indicted. The indictment said he was illegally getting money and perks from Fromm, who was a township contractor, because of Cantrell's influence with Trustee Greg Cvitkovich.

Cvitkovich was removed from office after he pleaded guilty in an unrelated criminal case. Milner said Friday that Cvitkovich also is expected to be a witness in the Cantrell case.