A top aide to Cook County Board President Todd Stroger was arrested Monday and charged in a criminal probe of county no-bid contracts, including one allegedly steered to the staffer's privately owned public relations firm, authorities said.

Carla Oglesby, Stroger's deputy chief of staff, was taken into custody about 4 p.m. by members of the Cook County state's attorney's financial crimes unit, said Sally Daly, a spokeswoman for Cook County State's Attorney Anita Alvarez.

Oglesby is charged with several felonies, including theft of government property over $100,000, money laundering and official misconduct.

"It's in connection with the ongoing financial crimes investigation conducted by the state's attorney's office into the awarding of so-called 24-9 contracts," Daly said.

The "24-9" reference is to contracts that fall below the $25,000 mark, the threshold requiring approval by the Cook County Board
Top Stroger aide Oglesby arrested, charged in probe :: CHICAGO SUN-TIMES :: Metro & Tri-State

Politics as usual continues in Chicago