Illinois Mayor Returns Donation From Gambling-Indicted Owner
The mayor of Burr Ridge, Illinois, has returned $2,000 in campaign donations linked to a local restaurant owner indicted in a federal gambling case in Indiana.
Mayor Gary Grasso, a Republican candidate for DuPage County Board chairman, confirmed the donations after being asked by the local outlet Patch.
Donations Traced To Indicted Restaurateur
The $2,000 came from two Burr Ridge businesses owned by Filippo "Gigi" Rovito, Capri Ristorante and the Are We Live nightclub, according to Patch's original reporting. Grasso said he did not know about the contributions before Patch's inquiry but verified them, and his campaign reported the donations to the Illinois State Board of Elections.
"Given the pending Indiana case, I have asked my Treasurer to return the donations," Grasso said.
Rovito was among 22 defendants named in an April 2026 federal indictment over an illegal sports gambling ring operating in northwest Indiana. He was charged with operating an illegal gambling business and conspiracy to collect extensions of credit by extortionate means. Prosecutors said the government would seek to seize property tied to illegal gambling proceeds.
A Repeat Of A 2018 Return
This is not the first time Grasso has returned money from Rovito. In 2018, Rovito donated $5,000 to Grasso's unsuccessful campaign for Illinois attorney general, which Grasso returned after a Chicago-area TV station raised questions about Rovito's ties to a reported organized crime investigation.
Grasso has previously acted as Rovito's attorney in civil matters. He is running against Democratic incumbent Deb Conroy for DuPage County Board chairman.
Political Backdrop To The Donations
Grasso is currently campaigning against Democratic incumbent Deb Conroy for chair of the DuPage County Board.
He has previously acted as Rovito's attorney in civil matters, and critics have long accused him of being too close to the restaurateur, according to Patch's reporting.
Rovito has not commented publicly on the returned donations or the federal case.
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