Chicago Radio: Talker Warren Ballentine Found Guilty of Fraud

Warren Ballentine

He styled himself “The People’s Attorney” and once claimed that 3 million listeners tuned in to hear his brand of black empowerment on his nationally-syndicated radio show.

But former Soul WSRB 106.3 FM personality Warren Ballentine is now a convicted fraudster, reports the Sun-Times.

A federal jury took less than an hour Friday morning to find Ballentine, 43, guilty on six counts connected to a $10 million mortgage scam.

Ballentine hung his head, frowned and mouthed the word “Man” as the verdicts were announced by U.S. District Judge Matthew Kennelly.

Evidence during the trial showed that Ballentine used straw buyers to obtain mortgages on properties they never intended to live in. In some cases, he attended closings for the same phony purchasers at two different properties within three days of each other, each time telling the straw buyers to lie on their mortgage forms.

Ballentine, whose show was also carried on WVON 1690 AM radio before his indictment, lives and broadcast from Durham, N.C., but grew up on the South Side and previously lived in south suburban Country Club Hills, where he maintained a law office. His radio show was picked up by urban radio stations nationwide.

He now faces up to 30 years behind bars on each of 6 counts and a $6 million fine, plus restitution.

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