Former Cook County recorder’s clerk pleads guilty to accepting $200 bribe

A former clerk for the Cook County recorder of deeds’ office pleaded guilty Wednesday to accepting a $200 cash bribe to prepare a falsified real estate deed.

Regina Taylor, 59, of Chicago, pleaded guilty to one count of honest services mail fraud, according to the U.S. attorney’s office.

Taylor accepted the $200 bribe from someone claiming they wanted to add a relative’s name to the deed of a home in Oak Park, according to prosecutors.

Taylor directed the person, who was actually an undercover agent, not to tell anyone that the other three people on the deed were deceased. She then prepared the fraudulent deed and backdated it by 18 months, federal prosecutors said.

After giving the fraudulent deed to the undercover agent to have it stamped in Oak Park, the agent gave Taylor $200 in cash, prosecutors said. Taylor directed the agent to bring back the stamped deed so she could officially file it at the recorder of deeds office.

Taylor faces up to 20 years in prison and a maximum fine of $250,000 when she is sentenced at 10:30 a.m. April 13.