Ex-Cook County Judge Gets Four Years’ Probation for Theft From Tuskegee Airman

Restitution set in the plea falls well below a prior $1.1 million civil judgment.

Overview

Patricia Martin, 66, pleaded guilty before Judge Terry Gallagher to one count of theft valued between $100,000 and $500,000.
She received four years of probation and must pay $122,763.73 in restitution, submit to drug testing and evaluations, provide DNA indexing, observe travel restrictions, and avoid firearms.
Prosecutors said Martin used her control over Oscar Wilkerson Jr.’s finances to close accounts and buy cryptocurrency, starting with a $115,353.45 withdrawal in December 2020.
The missing money was uncovered after a senior residence ended Wilkerson’s stay over unpaid bills, leading to a 2022 lawsuit and a default judgment of more than $1.1 million.
A 2023 grand jury charged Martin with seven felonies and she was disbarred that year; Wilkerson, a World War II veteran and Tuskegee Airman, died in February 2023 at age 96.