Metro East Sun

St. Clair County Chief Judge John Baricevic owned shares of several corporations and held an interest in at least 25 investment funds as of March 14, according to his statement of economic interests at the Illinois Supreme Court.  

The statement didn’t indicate the size of Baricevic’s investments, but their sheer number suggested unusual wealth.  

Four of the funds he has interest in require a minimum $1 million investment. In all, he squeezed 47 entries into a half page that the Supreme Court provides to judges to list their current interests and those of their families.  

Many of his entries identified funds within investment firms, while other entries named banks or firms without identifying him as investor or shareholder.  

First he listed Fidelity Contra, which focuses on capital gains. It held $78 billion in assets as of Sept. 12, and its shares sold for $101.23. 

Baricevic listed Oppenheimer Global, a $6 billion fund selling at $74.74.  

He listed Alleghany Corp., descendant of a railroad holding company that organized in 1929, with assets of $24 billion as of June 30. Shares of Alleghany sold at $520.87 on Sept. 12.  

Baricevic listed Berkshire Hathaway, descendant of a Massachusetts company that organized in 1839, with revenues of $211 billion last year. Its shares sold at $3,410.  

He listed Fairfax Financial, a Toronto investment firm focusing on insurance, with revenues of $10 billion last year. Its shares sold at $560.77.  

He listed First Eagle SoGen Global, a $50 billion fund selling at $56.73. It requires a minimum investment of $2,500, according to Morningstar website.  

He listed Growth Fund of America, which focuses on reducing taxable income. It holds investments worth $146 billion, and it sold at $43.48.  

He listed Investment Co. of America, which the American Funds subsidiary of the Capital Group calls its oldest fund. It held $77 billion in assets, focusing on household names, and it sold at $36.51.  

He listed Johnson and Johnson, a household name, apparently as shareholder.  

He listed Federated U.S. Government Securities, which pursues current income through short and medium term bonds of the Treasury and agencies. It holds a portfolio of $490 billion, and it sold at $11.06.  

He listed three funds of Pimco, a California firm with $1.5 trillion in assets. The initials stand for Pacific Investment Management Co., an offshoot of Pacific Life Insurance. He listed the total return fund, which sold at $10.29 on Sept. 12, the all asset fund, which sold at $11.38, and the corporate bond fund, which sold at $10.52.

Morningstar showed minimum investment of “$1.0 mil.” for all three. Baricevic listed Vanguard Long Term Treasury, holding $4 billion in bonds averaging 15 years and selling at $13.58. Morningstar showed minimum investment of $3,000.  

Baricevic listed U. S. Savings Bonds.  

He listed Nationwide Fixed, an annuity that promises tax deferral on earnings.  

He listed Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance, without indicating whether he owned shares, held policies, or used its investment branch.  

He listed certificates of deposit at Provident, Commerce, and Regions banks.  

He listed money market TD Bank. TD descended from a Maine bank that organized in 1852, and now bears the initials of Canadian owner Dominion-Toronto. It held assets of $945 billion, and sold at $44.40.  

He listed New Economy Fund, another of the American Funds, holding $15 billion in assets with a focus on innovation and a third of its equities outside the U.S. It sold at $36.62.  

He listed Third Avenue Value Fund, which held more than $1 billion in assets and sold at $51.71.  

Morningstar showed a minimum investment of $100,000.  

He listed Wal-Mart, a regular defendant in the court he leads.  

He listed White Mountain, which could mean White Mountain Capital, White Mountains Insurance, or White Mountains Advisors.  

He listed Commerce Bank checking and money market.  

He listed Provident Bank checking and savings.  

He listed US Bancorp.  

He listed Stable Return Fund, a Wells Fargo unit with $33 billion in assets. According to Galliard, a Wells Fargo client service subsidiary, the fund requires minimum investment of $1 million. 

Baricevic listed Met Life stock. Most of the asbestos suits in St. Clair County allege conspiracy against Metropolitan Life.  

He listed real estate – residence.  

He listed Roth Savings.  

He listed five accounts in the state university retirement system, four through College Retirement Equities Fund and one through Teachers Insurance and Annuity Association of America.  

He listed Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund.  

He listed spouse’s counseling income.  

He listed Northwestern Mutual annuity.  

He listed Lord Abbett, a small capital fund with $2 billion in assets.  

He listed Investor Equity & Income, a name that drew no hits online.  

He listed MFS International, a $26 billion fund with Nestle as its biggest holding. It closed to new investors last year.  

He listed Western Asset, a fund with $460 billion under management.  

Baricevic’s Democrat runningmates in this November’s election, Robert Haida and Robert LeChien, submitted more modest reports.  

Haida listed two single-family homes and two automobiles.  

He listed a Bright Star educational account, USAA mutual funds, a Met Life annuity, bank accounts with FCB and Commerce, and investment accounts with Wells Fargo, Vanguard, Clark Capital, Hartford, Mass Mutual, Pershing Investment, and Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund.  

LeChien listed a checking account at Bank of America and a judicial pension plan.  

With his spouse he listed a savings account at Bank of America and a residence. For her, he listed a salary as an associate partner in a Belleville law firm, a checking account, a savings account, and a retirement plan with a Kentucky firm.