CHICAGO —(ENEWSPF)–October 30, 2014.  Twenty-nine northern Illinois and Indiana defendants are facing state or federal charges following a coordinated investigation of “cracking cards,” a scheme that costs banks millions of dollars and has its roots on Chicago’s south side and is spreading to other cities through rap music and social[Read More…]

CHICAGO —(ENEWSPF)–October 24, 2014.  An Illinois lawyer and Internet radio talk show host was convicted today on federal charges for engaging in two mortgage fraud schemes that defrauded lenders of a total of approximately $9.7 million.  The defendant, WARREN BALLENTINE, schemed with others to obtain more than two dozen fraudulent[Read More…]

Chicago —(ENEWSPF)—October 23, 2014. Attorney General Lisa Madigan announced charges today against two men on multiple counts of possessing, reproducing and disseminating child pornography as part of “Operation Glass House,” her statewide initiative to apprehend the most active offenders who download and trade child pornography online. Earlier today, Madigan’s investigators[Read More…]

Chicago —(ENEWSPF)—October 23, 2014. Attorney General Lisa Madigan today announced the former chief executive officer of a Naperville-based adoption agency was sentenced to four and a half years in prison and ordered to pay $100,000 in restitution for stealing charitable funds for personal use. Robert Geniesse, 52, was sentenced today[Read More…]

CHICAGO —(ENEWSPF)–October 22, 2014.  A Chicago man who escaped from the Metropolitan Correctional Center in December 2012, just five days after he was convicted of armed robbery of two banks and attempting to rob two others in 2007 and 2008, was sentenced today to 36 years in federal prison.  Approximately[Read More…]

ROCKFORD —(ENEWSPF)–Octobr 21, 2014.  A husband and wife, both formerly of Barrington Hills, Ill., were indicted today by a federal grand jury in Rockford on separate counts of making false statements in a bankruptcy case.  The indictment alleges that DANIEL APOSTOLOPOULOS, 52, and SOULA APOSTOLOPOULOS, 45, each filed a Chapter[Read More…]

CHICAGO —(ENEWSPF)–October 21, 2014.  Nearly three ounces of marijuana was confiscated after it was found hidden inside two sandwiches that a Cook County corrections officer allegedly tried to smuggle into the Cook County Jail last year in exchange for a $200 bribe.  As a result of that seizure and an[Read More…]

CHICAGO —(ENEWSPF)–October 20, 2014.  A dermatologist in west suburban Lombard was convicted today of defrauding Medicare and private health insurers by submitting false claims for more than 800 patients resulting in losses totaling more than $2.6 million.  The defendant, DR. ROBERT KOLBUSZ, falsely diagnosed patients with actinic keratosis, or sun-induced[Read More…]

CHICAGO–(ENEWSPF)–October 20, 2014.  A Chicago investment advisor was convicted on Friday of federal bank fraud charges for engaging in a scheme to defraud Oak Brook-based Leaders Bank and two of his clients of more than $3.2 million and ultimately causing the bank to lose more than $2.7 million.  The defendant,[Read More…]

ROCKFORD–(ENEWSPF)–October 6, 2014.  A Rockford man pleaded guilty today in Federal Court to bank robbery.  PEDRO J. CORDERO, 52, of Rockford, Ill., pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Frederick J. Kapala to the robbery of BMO Harris Bank, N.A., 2510 S. Alpine Rd., Rockford, Ill., on July 12, 2014.  Cordero[Read More…]