# Aurora mayor calls for resignation over $43M city funds linked to indicted school board member

> Aurora mayor demands Annette Johnson resign after alleging $43.1M in city funds went to businesses tied to her.
- Title: Aurora mayor calls for resignation over $43M city funds…
- Summary: Aurora mayor demands Annette Johnson resign after alleging $43.1M in city funds went to businesses tied to her. Aurora Mayor John Laesch says $43.1 million…
- Keywords: aurora, annette johnson, john laesch, east aurora school district 131, kane county, wire fraud, school board, corruption, news, local, mayor, calls
- Source: Chicago Sun-Times — https://chicago.suntimes.com/politics/2026/10/29/aurora-john-laesch-annette-johnson-corruption
- Published: 2026-10-29T18:29:43.822+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: aurora, annette johnson, john laesch, east aurora school district 131, kane county, wire fraud, school board, corruption, news, local
## Aurora mayor calls for resignation
Aurora Mayor John Laesch demands Annette Johnson resign after alleging $43.1 million in city funds went to businesses linked to her.
## Johnson indicted for wire fraud
Annette Johnson faces wire fraud charges for a $1.3 million kickback scheme involving school district purchases.
## Alleged $43.1M city funds
Laesch says $43.1 million in payments went to eight companies linked to Johnson between 2018 and 2023.
## School board ties
Johnson served on East Aurora School District 131 board as president and CFO of a business during the alleged scheme.
## Air purifier deal
Johnson pushed for $2.7 million in air purifiers in 2021 in exchange for $1.3 million payment to a company she helped lead.
## Voting pattern
Johnson voted for the air purifier deal without disclosing her personal economic interest in the sale.
## Unreported payments
Johnson received $7,500 in 2021 from companies she didn't list on her economic interest statements.
## Blank economic statements
Johnson's economic interest statements were blank between 2012 and 2024, the year she faced a conflict of interest challenge.
## Conflict of interest ruling
The school board ruled it lacked authority to challenge Johnson's economic statements and dropped the conflict of interest matter.
## 2025 economic statement
Johnson listed DJ Payne for the first time in her economic interest statement in 2025, though the company still lists her as part of its sales team.
## Mayor's call for justice
Laesch hopes for justice for families of District 131 and the East Aurora community as the investigation continues.
## Key takeaway

Aurora Mayor John Laesch says $43.1 million in city funds were sent to businesses linked to Annette Johnson, an indicted school board member who faces wire fraud charges.