Rezko associate got $600,000 loan from onetime National Republican Committeeman

[tabatha]

A close associate of convicted businessman Tony Rezko testified in Rod Blagojevich’s trial this afternoon that a onetime National Republican Committeeman loaned him $600,000 — no questions asked.

As it turned out though, there was a hitch.

Businessman Joseph Aramanda, testifying under a letter of immunity, said Springfield lobbyist and onetime National Republican Committeeman Bob Kjellander was “very receptive,” to loaning him the money so Aramanda could build up his pizza franchises.

Prosecutors appear to be trying to link money that was in Aramanda’s account to earlier testimony, which indicated that more than half a million dollars was routed through Kjellander from a state pension bond deal and eventually was to be divvied up between Rezko, Blagojevich and two other associates.

Aramanda testified that Rezko, who was close with Kjellander, arranged for a conference call in his Rezmar offices in September of 2003.

That’s when Kjellander agreed to loan Aramanda the money.

“Did he ask for financial records?” Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Niewoehner asked.

“No,” Aramanda said, adding he expected to turn over such material or to put up collateral.

http://www.suntimes.com/news/metro/blagojevich/2396172,blago-rezko-associate-gets-loan-061510.article

How predictable.