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Paul Powell was elected as Illinois Secretary of State in 1964, where he served until his death in 1970. At the time of his passing, Powell was generally remembered as a popular member of the Democratic Party, though newspapers reported that he had been investigated for possible corruption in the past. However, an examination of his hotel room revealed over $750,000 dollars in cash hidden in shoeboxes, with an additional $50,000 being found in his office in the following days. His estate was worth over $4 million, with a quarter of that invested in horseracing stock. An investigation determined that the majority of his wealth had been earned in illegal cash bribes made for low-competition state contracts. His posthumous reputation was destroyed and his story became a symbol of political corruption in Illinois in the 1960s.
Grossman, Ron. (2013, 24 February). "From hero to bum in a flash". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved from https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-2013-02-24-ct-per-flash-paul-....