Tax buyer disbarred by Illinois Supreme Court

Belleville attorney John Vassen has been disbarred by consent by the Illinois Supreme Court.

Vassen had filed a motion requesting that his name be stricken from the roll of attorneys after he was sentenced in February to 24 months in prison for his participation in a scheme to rig bids and fix prices in Madison County tax sale auctions between 2005 and 2008.

He had pleaded guilty in October to violating the Sherman Antitrust Act in a conspiracy that included former Madison County treasurer Fred Bathon and tax buyers Scott McLean of Belleville and Barrett Rochman of Makanda.

Bathon was sentenced to 30 months; McLean 18 months and Rochman 16 months in prison.

Vassen, McLean and Rochman are serving their sentences at a medium security facility in Marion. Bathon is serving at a federal corrections facility in Terre Haute, Ind.

The Illinois Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission stated that Vassen engaged in the following misconduct:

- Committing a criminal act that reflect adversely on the lawyer's honesty, trustworthiness or fitness as a lawyer in other respects by violating Title 15 U.S.C. sec. 1, in violation of Rule 8.4(b) of the Illinois Rules of Professional Conduct (2010), and

- Conduct involving dishonesty, fraud, deceit or misrepresentation by violating Title 15 U.S.C. sec. 1, in violation of Rule 8.4(c) of the Illinois Rules of Professional Conduct (2010).