Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker Faces Backlash Over Alleged Tax Evasion Scheme Involving Chicago Mansion

Billionaire Governor Accused of Removing Toilets to Slash Property Taxes by $330,000

Chicago, IL, September 8, 2025 – Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker, a billionaire heir to the Hyatt Hotels fortune, is once again under fire as a years-old property tax controversy resurfaces, reigniting debates about wealth, privilege, and ethics in public office. Reports from 2018, recently brought back into the spotlight, allege that Pritzker deliberately manipulated the value of a historic Gold Coast mansion by removing all 15 of its toilets to have it classified as “uninhabitable,” securing a staggering $330,000 in property tax savings. The move, labeled a “scheme to defraud” by the Cook County Inspector General, has drawn sharp criticism, particularly given Pritzker’s estimated net worth of $3.9 billion as of August 2025.

The Mansion and the Toilets: A Calculated Move?

In 2007, Pritzker and his wife, M.K. Pritzker, purchased a 6,378-square-foot mansion on Chicago’s prestigious Astor Street for $3.7 million, adjacent to their primary residence valued at over $6 million. According to a 2018 report by the Chicago Sun-Times, the couple allowed the second property to fall into disrepair, a strategy that culminated in October 2015 when they allegedly directed contractors to remove all 15 toilets from the mansion just days before a property tax reassessment. This allowed the property to be declared “vacant and uninhabitable” by the Cook County Assessor’s Office, slashing its assessed value from $6.25 million to approximately $1.1 million—an 83% reduction.

The reassessment resulted in property tax refunds totaling $132,747.18 for the years 2012 to 2014 and additional savings of $198,684.85 for 2015 and 2016, amounting to roughly $330,000 in total tax breaks. The Cook County Inspector General, Patrick Blanchard, concluded in a confidential report that this was part of a deliberate “scheme to defraud” taxpayers, involving “false representations” in sworn affidavits by M.K. Pritzker’s brother, Thomas Muenster, and her personal assistant, Christine Lovely, about the mansion’s condition and the timing of the toilet removals.

Emails uncovered by Blanchard revealed that M.K. Pritzker instructed contractors from Bulley & Andrews to remove the toilets to ensure the mansion’s “uninhabitable” status, only to reinstall one toilet afterward for J.B. Pritzker’s “hangout/meeting area.” Critics, including then-Governor Bruce Rauner, Pritzker’s 2018 election opponent, seized on the scandal, dubbing him the “porcelain prince of tax avoidance.” Rauner’s campaign argued, “A bank robber who gives the money back is still a bank robber,” framing the repayment as an admission of guilt.

Pritzker’s Defense and Repayment

Pritzker has consistently maintained that he followed all applicable rules in seeking the tax break, dismissing the controversy as a political attack. During the 2018 gubernatorial campaign, he announced he would repay the full $330,000 to the Cook County Treasurer’s Office, a move he claimed was not an acknowledgment of wrongdoing but an effort to move past a distraction. “This is an internal, confidential document by the inspector general’s office, which was looking into the assessor’s office, that was leaked for political purposes in this last month of a campaign,” Pritzker stated at the time.

Despite the repayment, the issue has not faded. Federal investigators reportedly launched a probe in October 2018, targeting Pritzker, his wife, and his brother-in-law for potential violations related to the tax break. The investigation, which remains ongoing as of 2020, has focused on records from the Cook County Assessor’s Office and communications involving the reassessment. Pritzker has downplayed the probe, stating in 2019, “I’m very confident that any review of this matter will show that all the rules were followed.” Neither he nor his wife have been contacted directly by law enforcement, according to their legal team.

Public and Political Fallout

The re-emergence of the scandal in 2025 comes at a sensitive time for Pritzker, who is seeking a third term as governor in 2026 and has been floated as a potential Democratic presidential candidate for 2028. Critics argue that the toilet controversy undermines his credibility, particularly as he advocates for progressive policies like the “fair tax” amendment, which aimed to impose higher income taxes on Illinois’ wealthiest residents. Illinois House Republican leader Jim Durkin remarked in 2019, “Before he asks for more taxes upon Illinois families and employers, he should get his own taxes in order.”

Public reaction has been mixed. On platforms like X, where the issue has trended recently, some users condemn Pritzker’s actions as emblematic of elite privilege, with one post stating, “A billionaire who guts a mansion to dodge taxes has no business lecturing anyone about fairness.” Others defend him, pointing out that he repaid the funds and that property tax appeals are common among homeowners. Supporters argue the focus on toilets distracts from Pritzker’s achievements, such as raising Illinois’ minimum wage to $15 by 2025 and committing the state to the U.S. Climate Alliance.

Ethical Questions and Systemic Issues

The scandal raises broader questions about Illinois’ property tax system, which critics say is riddled with loopholes that favor the wealthy. The Cook County Assessor’s Office, under then-Assessor Joseph Berrios, was criticized for its handling of the Pritzker case, though Berrios’ team insisted the reassessment was based on evidence of a “gut rehab,” not just missing toilets. Current Assessor Fritz Kaegi, who has cooperated with federal investigators, has pushed for reforms to increase transparency in property tax appeals.

For Pritzker, the controversy remains a stain on his public image, despite his electoral success and policy achievements. The optics of a billionaire removing toilets to save a fraction of his vast wealth have proven difficult to shake, especially in a state with a history of political scandals—four of the last ten Illinois governors have faced prison time. Whether this issue will impact Pritzker’s future ambitions remains uncertain, but it continues to fuel debates about trust, fairness, and accountability in Illinois politics.

Conclusion

As Governor J.B. Pritzker navigates his third term and eyes a national stage, the toilet tax scandal serves as a reminder of the scrutiny that accompanies wealth and power. While he repaid the $330,000 and insists he followed the rules, the allegations of a “scheme to defraud” continue to resonate with critics who question his integrity. For Illinois voters, the question remains: does this controversy reflect a calculated abuse of privilege, or is it an overblown distraction from Pritzker’s leadership? Only time—and perhaps the ongoing federal investigation—will provide clarity.