A former top City Hall insider from the Lori Lightfoot administration is now tangled in a contracting scandal that watchdogs say mixed family favors with nearly $10 million in disputed invoices. A new report from the city inspector general alleges the official helped arrange a paid internship for his child at a city vendor, then pushed invoices that included false claims, billing irregularities and work done outside approved contracts. Reporting in the Chicago Sun-Times identified the official as Paul Goodrich, who served as chief operating officer under former mayor Lightfoot.
What the watchdog found
According to a report by the City of Chicago Office of Inspector General, investigators concluded that a senior staffer "used their City title and its authority to solicit a job for their child." The report says the contractor later submitted about $9.6 million in invoices that contained intentional and negligent billing irregularities and did not comply with city procurement procedures, including work performed outside approved contracts.
Who reporters say is named
The Chicago Sun-Times reports the official described in the inspector general's document is Goodrich and that the vendor is EKI-Digital, run by Robert Blackwell Jr. The paper notes that Goodrich's son listed a paid internship at EKI-Digital from June 2022 through May 2023 and that records show the firm has been providing services to City Hall since the Daley administration.
Invoices, procurement and the vendor's record
The inspector general's office found the $9.6 million in invoices submitted by the vendor included false claims and other billing irregularities and warned that the submissions failed to follow city contracting rules. The findings were included in the office's quarterly filing, which also summarized other closed investigations during the period and was submitted to the City Council on April 15 as part of its routine disclosures.
Political fallout and oversight
Inspector General Deborah Witzburg, who has announced she will leave the post later this month, framed her recent audits as part of an effort to "pay down Chicago's deficit of legitimacy," WTTW reported. The report, combined with local coverage of the Goodrich allegations, has amplified pressure on elected officials and procurement staff to tighten oversight of vendor work and billing.
Possible consequences
A spokesperson for Mayor Brandon Johnson told the Chicago Sun-Times that the city settled with the vendor to avoid litigation and has now restricted vendors from performing non-contracted work. According to the spokesperson, the city's procurement services department has opened disbarment proceedings against the firm. Lightfoot's office told the paper it had not been previously notified about the inspector general's probe.
Ethics observers say administrative sanctions, tighter contracting controls and potential civil exposure for the vendor are all plausible next steps as City Hall reviews the inspector general's findings. We will continue to track official responses along with any filings, disciplinary actions or hearings that follow.
