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Retired black judge gets probation for stealing nearly $250,000 from elderly Tuskegee Airman

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A former Cook County judge who stole large sums of money from an elderly 
friend who served as a Tuskegee Airman received a probationary sentence on 
Friday.

Patricia Martin, 66, received four years of probation after pleading 
guilty to theft of $100,000 to $500,000, according to court records. The 
judge also ordered her to pay $122,763.73 in restitution and comply with 
standard probation conditions that include random drug testing.

Martin once served as presiding judge of the Child Protection Division and 
retired in 2020.

Prosecutors initially accused her of stealing nearly $250,000 from then-
95-year-old Oscar Wilkerson, a longtime friend whose finances she 
controlled under power of attorney. Using that authority, Martin closed 
some of Wilkerson’s bank accounts and withdrew more than $115,000, 
officials said. She used the money to buy crypto.

Investigators said she continued making unauthorized transactions for 
crypto purchases and personal expenses through 2021 and most of 2022.

The thefts were uncovered after a senior living facility terminated 
Wilkerson’s residency because of unpaid bills. An attorney was brought in 
to examine his finances and filed a lawsuit against Martin in 2022. She 
failed to respond, resulting in a default judgment of about $1.1 million, 
according to court filings.

Because Martin previously served as a Cook County judge, her case was 
assigned to McHenry County Judge Tiffany Davis. Wilkerson died in 2023, 
one day before his 97th birthday. Martin was disbarred the same year.

https://cwbchicago.com/2025/12/retired-judge-gets-probation-for-stealing-
nearly-250000-from-elderly-tuskegee-airman.html

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Retired black judge gets probation for stealing nearly $250,000 from elderly Tuskegee Airman J D <j_d@invalid.org> - 2026-02-11 05:03 +0000
  Re: Retired black judge gets probation for stealing nearly $250,000 from elderly Tuskegee Airman Antonio <antoniov@support-ice.org> - 2026-02-12 04:41 +0300

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