Rooney chronology

Feb. 27: The secretary of state's securities department ordersWilliam E. Rooney & Co. and two of its subsidiaries, Rooney FinancialCorp. of Will County and Rooney Financial Corp. of Chicago Heights,to quit selling high-yield, nine-month investment certificatesbecause Rooney has not registered them with the state. The actioncaps two years of discussion between Rooney or his attorneys andofficials from the securities department. March 3: The three companies file for voluntary Chapter 11bankruptcy protection, claiming that 4,000 investors owed $28 millionare now creditors because there is not enough money to pay them back.Among the 20 largest creditors is a Chicago Heights …