EVANSTON, Ill. (WBBM NEWSRADIO) -- Police are investigating at least three fake court orders with racist threats mailed to ethnic restaurants in Evanston.
The letters arrived in the mail this week. First at Ovo Frito, then Kabul House and Mount Everest. Evanston police said the return address listed was the Skokie Courthouse and the authors claimed to be three different Cook County judges. They were full of racist and homophobic threats, a police spokesman said, and threatened gang action if the recipients didn’t close their restaurants.
Cook County Chief Judge Timothy Evans calls the fake documents "appalling" and said his office is working with law enforcement.
“Highly offensive documents, falsely claiming to be orders from various current or retired Circuit Court of Cook County judges, are being circulated by some person or group,” Chief Judge Evans said in a statement. “The documents appear to be intended as a means of intimidating the recipients and others.”
The Cook County sheriff’s office and US Postal Inspectors are investigating. In Evanston
Sgt. Ken Carter said the letters that are dated Sept. 14 and arrived at the three restaurants on different days this week are believed to be related, and more are out there.
He said there are reports of similar documents in multiple communities and encourages any business that receives one to reach out to their police department.
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