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Antoin "Tony" Rezko, a convicted former top adviser of Rod Blagojevich, is ready to testify at the former governor's upcoming federal corruption trial, Rezko's lawyer said Friday.

Rezko is "ready, willing and able to testify" against Blagojevich and his wife, Patti, defense attorney Joe Duffy said after a federal hearing where Rezko pleaded guilty to a new fraud charge.

"It's the government's call to decide" who to use as a witness, Duffy said. But Rezko would be a "formidable witness against both the governor and the first lady," he said.

A new trial for Blagojevich is tentatively scheduled for early next year.

The cornerstone of the government's case against Blagojevich involved allegations he schemed to enrich himself and his wife through selecting a successor for President Obama's vacant U.S. Senate seat.

Blagojevich was convicted in August of lying to investigators, but he faces trial on other counts the jury could not agree on. Patti Blagojevich has not been charged, but prosecutors alleged at Blagojevich's first trial that a Rezko business paid her tens of thousands of dollars in sham real estate consulting fees and commissions.

Rezko, 55, of Wilmette, was snagged in "Operation Board Games," the investigation into alleged wrongdoing by Blagojevich.

Rezko, a former fund-raiser for Blagojevich and Obama, was convicted at trial in 2008 of wide-ranging corruption involving state boards and commissions under Blagojevich. On Friday, he pleaded guilty to a loan-fraud scheme involving pizza restaurants he owned.

He has not been sentenced on either conviction. Prosecutors said he should face at least eight years in prison on the restaurant-related conviction.

Rezko appeared before U.S. District Judge James Zagel in an olive jail uniform with his ankles shackled. Courthouse observers said he has lost significant weight since his June 2008 conviction.

Rezko has been in federal custody since his conviction.

Also on Friday, in a separate matter, Zagel granted a request from the father-and-son legal team of Sam Adam Sr. and Sam Adam Jr. to let them off representing Blagojevich at his second trial. Zagel said the lawyers would have to appear for any hearing involving the former governor's first trial but were off the hook for the next one.