Traffic court judge removed from bench on allegation of falsifying mortgage application

A Cook County traffic court judge was removed from the bench Tuesday following allegations that she misrepresented herself on a mortgage application.

The decision to remove Judge Beatriz Santiago was made by a 17-member panel of county judges, after the state Judicial Inquire Board filed a formal complaint against Santiago last week.

Neither Santiago nor her lawyer could be reached for comment Tuesday night.

Santiago “attempted to and did deceive her mortgage lender” while refinancing a property on North Spaulding, the order removing her from the bench states.

Santiago will continue to collect her salary pending a ruling on the complaint. She has been assigned to “other than judicial duties,” the order states.

“The alleged conduct, if true, constitutes impropriety or an appearance of impropriety which involves moral turpitude or threatens irreparable injury . . . to the orderly administration of justice,” the order states.