Chicago CFO Resigns Amid Budget Dispute and Fraud Allegations

Chief Financial Officer Ashlee Gabrysch resigned on November 13, 2026, after only three months in office, stating that continuing in the role would compromise her professional integrity. The resignation followed a public dispute during budget hearings where Gabrysch contradicted Mayor Brandon Johnson's claim that the city budget was 76% structurally balanced, asserting the actual figure was 56% because it improperly excluded settlement borrowing.

Mayor Brandon Johnson's administration rejected these claims and accused Gabrysch of being absent during critical budget preparations. The mayor's office further alleged that Gabrysch committed a serious breach by directing the City Treasurer to issue a $75 million payment from parking meter sales to city pensions without proper legal authority. Both the mayor's office and several City Council members have referred the matter to the City's Office of Inspector General for review.

City Council members, including Finance Committee Chair Pat Dowell and Vice Chair Bill Conway, suggested the resignation indicates the mayor's office pressured Gabrysch to present false financial information. Conway described the possibility of such pressure as potentially criminal fraud, while Dowell called for an independent audit of city finances. City Comptroller Michael Belsky, who has assumed the role of acting CFO, defended the administration's transparency and denied any wrongdoing. Gabrysch is the third CFO to leave the administration within a year.