A McLean County physician called it a “soul-wrecking’" decision to take his friends to court over an unpaid loan, but he hopes to recover as much money as he can.
A federal judge has ruled Ed and Robert Brady still must repay a $1 million loan Tom Pliura of LeRoy gave them in 2010, even though Robert Brady filed for bankruptcy in 2018.
“We are going to take steps to try to recover the money that we can,” Pliura said. “Unfortunately, it’s just a business decision at this point, as tough as it is and as odd as it is because I feel like I’m still good friends with them.”
Pliura, who is also an attorney, said some personal health issues drove him to seek repayment, and the amount owed has grown with interest.
“$1.9 million might not be a lot of money to some people but that’s a lot of money to me,” Pliura said. “I might not get it all back but I am going to try to get as much as I can back.”
Ed and Robert are the brothers of Illinois Senate Minority Leader Bill Brady. According to court records, Sen. Brady requested the loan to help pay subcontractors for the family's construction company, though he wasn't named in the lawsuit.
Sen. Brady didn't sign the promissory note, according to U.S. Bankruptcy Court judge Mary Gorman.
The judge indicated Brady was trying to pay off business debts to avoid bad press days before the 2010 gubernatorial election, when he lost to Pat Quinn.
The senator's spokesperson hasn't returned calls seeking comment.
“This is a matter involving my brother, and, as such, I am not in a position to comment on it,” Sen. Brady told the State Journal-Register in Springfield.
According to court documents the Bradys offered four condominiums and apartment buildings in Normal as collateral. Robert Brady later admitted in bankruptcy court they didn’t own the buildings.
Pliura, 62, said his wife discouraged him from loaning the money, but later encouraged him to file the lawsuit, partly due to the medical bills he incurred for a cardiac catheterization procedure he underwent in May 2019.
“I thought I’d better follow her recommendation since I didn’t follow it the first time,” Pliura explained. “It hurts me inside to have to do it.”
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