720 ILCS 5/33-7

(720 ILCS 5/33-7)

Sec. 33-7. Public contractor misconduct.

(a) A public contractor; a person seeking a public contract on behalf of himself, herself, or another; an employee of a public contractor; or a person seeking a public contract on behalf of himself, herself, or another commits public contractor misconduct when, in the performance of, or in connection with, a contract with the State, a unit of local government, or a school district or in obtaining or seeking to obtain such a contract he or she commits any of the following acts:

(1) intentionally or knowingly makes, uses, or causes to be made or used a false record or statement to conceal, avoid, or decrease an obligation to pay or transmit money or property;

(2) knowingly performs an act that he or she knows he or she is forbidden by law to perform;

(3) with intent to obtain a personal advantage for himself, herself, or another, he or she performs an act in excess of his or her contractual responsibility;

(4) solicits or knowingly accepts for the performance of any act a fee or reward that he or she knows is not authorized by law; or

(5) knowingly or intentionally seeks or receives compensation or reimbursement for goods and services he or she purported to deliver or render, but failed to do so pursuant to the terms of the contract, to the unit of State or local government or school district.

(b) Sentence. Any person who violates this Section commits a Class 3 felony. Any person convicted of this offense or a similar offense in any state of the United States which contains the same elements of this offense shall be barred for 10 years from the date of conviction from contracting with, employment by, or holding public office with the State or any unit of local government or school district. No corporation shall be barred as a result of a conviction under this Section of any employee or agent of such corporation if the employee so convicted is no longer employed by the corporation and (1) it has been finally adjudicated not guilty or (2) it demonstrates to the government entity with which it seeks to contract, and that entity finds, that the commission of the offense was neither authorized, requested, commanded, nor performed by a director, officer or high managerial agent on behalf of the corporation as provided in paragraph (2) of subsection (a) of Section 5-4 of this Code.

(c) The Attorney General or the State's Attorney in the county where the principal office of the unit of local government or school district is located may bring a civil action on behalf of any unit of State or local government to recover a civil penalty from any person who knowingly engages in conduct which violates subsection (a) of this Section in treble the amount of the monetary cost to the unit of State or local government or school district involved in the violation. The Attorney General or State's Attorney shall be entitled to recover reasonable attorney's fees as part of the costs assessed to the defendant. This subsection (c) shall in no way limit the ability of any unit of State or local government or school district to recover moneys or damages regarding public contracts under any other law or ordinance. A civil action shall be barred unless the action is commenced within 6 years after the later of (1) the date on which the conduct establishing the cause of action occurred or (2) the date on which the unit of State or local government or school district knew or should have known that the conduct establishing the cause of action occurred.

(d) This amendatory Act of the 96th General Assembly shall not be construed to create a private right of action.

(Source: P.A. 96-575, eff. 8-18-09.)