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Illinois departments probing West Suburban hospital’s finances after abrupt closure, state rep. says

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Illinois departments probing West Suburban hospital’s finances after abrupt closure, state rep. says


OAK PARK, Ill. (WLS) — A state lawmaker tells the ABC7 I-Team there is an ongoing investigation into the finances of an Oak Park safety-net hospital that abruptly closed last month.

This while the I-Team has learned the current CEO of West Suburban Medical Center was served an eviction notice last week from the property’s owner, citing millions of dollars in debt owed.

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Through a spokesperson, CEO Manoj Prasad told the I-Team the eviction notice, “is without merit,” and that he would “address this matter through the appropriate legal channels.”

While there have been many developments since West Suburban Medical Center announced it was closing March 25, former physicians and staff at the facility say the top priority needs to be reopening the healthcare facility that plays a critical role in the community.

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The Chicago Medical Society and former physicians sent a letter to Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker Monday, requesting “immediate state intervention” to reopen West Suburban Medical Center.

“We write to you to exercise your emergency authority to intervene in the hospital’s closure and take immediate action to reopen this critical safety-net institution,” the letter reads.

In an interview with the I-Team, Illinois’ 8th District state Rep. La Shawn Ford said several stage agencies are probing the finances of West Suburban Medical Center leading up to its closure.

“The Illinois Department of Public Health, and Department of Human Services, and [Healthcare and Family Services]; they’re all looking into this hospital and checking out the financials,” Ford said. “There’s an ongoing investigation because there’s been millions of dollars that have been provided, taxpayer dollars to this hospital to keep this afloat and it still closed.”

A spokesperson for HFS previously told the I-Team at least $30 million was loaned to the facility since 2023, including a $10 million loan one year ago.

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The I-Team reached out to multiple state departments and the governor’s office for comment about the ongoing financial investigation into West Suburban’s closure but have not heard back.

Ford told the I-Team his constituents and the community is demanding a change in leadership for the beleaguered healthcare facility, and they want Resilience Healthcare CEO Prasad out.

“It closed on his watch… which means that the leadership failed the community,” Ford said. “I’m hearing every day, and this is not an exaggeration, that we need to have new leadership at the hospital.”

Dr. Vishnu Chundi is a former West Suburban Medical Center Physician and co-chair of the West Suburban Hospital Task Force to Reopen and Restore Care.

Chundi signed the letter sent to Governor Pritzker, imploring the state to reopen the facility immediately citing severe healthcare deficient for the West Side after its closure.

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“The governor does have the emergency authority to open a hospital for at-need on an at-need basis,” Chundi said. “This hospital serves poor people. It serves people at the highest risk. And we call on the governor to open this hospital as soon as possible.”

Former West Suburban Nursing Director Sylvia Williams said she’s worked at the facility serving her community for nearly two decades.

“We really want to make sure that the hospital gets open and that the authorities do some investigation about why those monies weren’t appropriated to the hospitals, both Weiss [Memorial] and to West Suburban,” Williams told the I-Team. “Because we don’t see it. We’re there. We live there every day. The things that, you know, the equipment that we need… the monies were not spent on the hospital equipment.”

Among the plans in development to reopen the closed hospital includes efforts by the property owner of West Suburban and Weiss Memorial, Ramco Healthcare Holdings.

The I-Team obtained a copy of an eviction notice served to CEO Prasad and Resilience Healthcare dated April 9, claiming the hospital owes more than $10.2 million for the use of the property.

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A spokesperson for Ramco told the I-Team this was the first step in a plan to remove Prasad and the current management and find another person or institution to run the hospital’s operations.

As the I-Team previously reported, more than a month before the hospital closed, the landowner had met with state officials, warning of the dire situation and need to oust Prasad and appoint a court-ordered receiver to oversee the process of finding a new management company.

State officials said they were not presented with “any viable plan to turn around their fiscal and operational issues.”

Ford hopes state officials and the community can come together to prevent a healthcare desert.

“What this hospital needs now more than ever is stability,” Ford said. “It’s been through so many challenges, and if it’s to open again, it has to open with stability and strong leadership.”

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Cash App parent company agrees to $45 million settlement with Illinois, 44 other states

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Cash App parent company agrees to  million settlement with Illinois, 44 other states


Illinois will get $1.1 million of a $45 million, 45-state settlement with money transfer app Cash App’s parent company, which was accused of misleading customers about the app’s security.

Block Inc. will face $55 million in civil penalties and also have to pay customers nationwide somewhere from $75 million to $120 million as part of the settlement, which includes the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

In a statement, Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul said the settlement holds the company accountable and requires it to “change its harmful practices.”

“Block told Cash App users their money was safe and falsely implied that the app worked like a bank, with the same protections,” Raoul said. “Block was aware that fraud on its platform was rising sharply and failed to warn users, strengthen protections or provide real help to users when things went wrong.”

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A company spokesperson confirmed the settlement and said the company has made “significant investments in consumer protection, customer service, and compliance.”

“We share the commitment of the attorneys general to addressing industry challenges and continue to invest in operations and technology to promote a safe and healthy financial ecosystem,” the spokesperson said in a statement provided to the Sun-Times Wednesday night.

The lawsuit accused the company of not preventing fraud, and even of having systems that made it easier to commit that fraud. Minimal identity verification allowed someone to create fake or multiple accounts, and the company had no phone support line. Instead, customers who had been defrauded often were provided by those fraudsters with fake online customer support phone numbers, the suit alleged.

As part of the agreement, the company must offer at least 13.5 hours of human-staffed phone lines per day as part of 24-hour support, as well as reimburse customers for fraudulent transactions, stop marketing the app as safe and educate users about the dangers of fraud.



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Illinois girl, 8, dies after being struck by lightning

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Illinois girl, 8, dies after being struck by lightning


An 8-year-old girl has died after she was struck by lightning while outside in the backyard of her home in LaSalle County over the Fourth of July weekend.

Girl killed by lightning strike

What we know:

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The LaSalle County Coroner’s office said it was called to emergency department at OSF St. Elizabeth Hospital in Ottawa on the evening of July 3 after the child was brought in following the lightning strike.

A forensic autopsy was conducted on Sunday. Preliminary findings determined the girl died from injuries caused by the lightning strike.

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What we don’t know:

Officials have not yet released the child’s identity.

The incident remains under investigation by the LaSalle County Coroner’s Office and the LaSalle County Sheriff’s Office.

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The Source: The information in this report came from the LaSalle County Coroner’s Office.

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Lake Geneva boat accident, 3 kids drowned; Illinois school district responds

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Lake Geneva boat accident, 3 kids drowned; Illinois school district responds


We’re learning more about the victims in Friday’s tragedy on Geneva Lake.

Three kids, ages 10, seven, and six, were killed after they were trapped in the sinking boat during the severe storms.

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Officials won’t comment on their identities, but FOX6 learned at least two of them were students at the Community Unit School District 200 (CUSD 200) in Wheaton, Illinois.

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The district released a statement, saying:

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“On behalf of Community Unit School District 200, our deepest condolences are with the family and friends of the children who died in a tragic boating incident in Lake Geneva on July 3. We ask that you join us in supporting these families during this difficult time, and keep them in your thoughts as we all cope with this incredible loss.”

Lake Geneva Police Chief statement

What we know:

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The City of Lake Geneva Police Department is opening up on the incident and the property destruction caused by the storms.

The police chief says, in part:

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“In moments of tragedy, we often see the very best in people, and that has certainly been true here. While there is still healing ahead, I hope everyone knows how grateful we are for the outpouring of support shown over these past several days. It has been humbling to witness and a reminder that no one faces hardship alone when a community stands together.”

Chief Ed Gritzner, City of Lake Geneva Police Department

The backstory:

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Walworth County experienced what law enforcement described as a “sudden and severe” storm on July 3. The National Weather Service said it created a downburst with peak winds estimated at 90–100 mph.

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The storm downed hundreds of trees and power lines, damaged several buildings and created hazardous boating conditions on Geneva Lake. One boat with 10 people on board overturned and ultimately sank. 

Six adults and one child were rescued from the water, while three of the kids were missing when emergency responders got there. Those three children were found and later died despite life-saving attempts. 

Emergency response on Geneva Lake after storms lead to calls for water rescue on July 3, 2026.

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Who was on the boat?

The latest:

The three children who died have been identified as a 10-year-old girl, a 7-year-old girl and a 6-year-old boy. 

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The boat operator was a 47-year-old man. The other passengers were a 75-year-old man, a 73-year-old woman, a 49-year-old woman, a 46-year-old man, a 44-year-old woman and a 12-year-old boy.

The group included residents of Fontana, as well as residents of Batavia and Wheaton, Illinois. All four kids were wearing properly fitted life jackets, according to law enforcement.

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What happened on Geneva Lake?

Dig deeper:

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Law enforcement said the boat operator had “extensive boating experience” and was unable to find safe harbor when the storm hit. At least two large waves broke over the bow, causing it to take on water. Another wave hit the side of the boat, causing it to roll, capsize and sink. 

The sunken vessel was found in 32 feet of water, and three children were found inside the boat. Divers were able to get them out and bring them to the surface, and they were pronounced dead despite life-saving attempts. Investigators determined they had no external injuries and drowned.

What’s next:

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The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and Geneva Lake Law Enforcement Agency are still conducting a joint investigation into the accident. Eleven other agencies assisted with the immediate needs.

The Source: Information in this post comes from the City of Lake Geneva Police Department and Community Unit School District 200 (CUSD 200), along with prior 

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