Four accused of scamming Lincolnshire investment firm

An Arlington Heights woman and three Chicagoans have been charged with money laundering and identity theft after stealing $330,000 from retirement accounts in Lincolnshire, authorities said.

Cherilyn A. Thomas, 25, of the 4100 block of Bonhill Drive in Arlington Heights, is charged with aggravated identity theft and identity theft for her role in the scam, Lincolnshire Police detective John-Erik Anderson said. Thomas remains in Lake County jail in lieu of $1 million bail.

Also arrested were: Martin Johnson, 34, of South Chappelle in Chicago; Nicarico Liddell, 23, of South Talman Street in Chicago; and Niven Beluso, 25, of West Grace in Chicago, Anderson said.

Lincolnshire police said they were contacted Aug. 24 by officials at a Lincolnshire retirement investment firm who said several accounts had been compromised.

Anderson said the investigation showed Thomas was an employee of the investment firm and stole critical personal information of five victims that was used to access their retirement accounts.

Thomas told police she would give that information to Johnson, who would contact the investment firm and have the retirement accounts drained and transferred to one of two separate bank accounts, Anderson said.

After the transfer was complete, he said, Liddell and Beluso would go to the banks where the money was transferred and withdraw the money from the accounts.

“After withdrawing the cash, they would give a percentage back to Johnson,” Anderson said. “In total, they managed to steal about $330,000, but we were able to step in before all of that money was accessed.”

Only about $50,000 was obtained in cash, he said, and all of that money was recovered.

Johnson, who was on parole at the time of his arrest, was charged with money laundering and remains behind bars in lieu of $1 million bail.

Liddell and Beluso were also charged with money laundering but are free from Lake County jail after posting bail, Anderson said.

Court dates for all four are pending, and the investigation continues, officials said.

Scam: All of the stolen money was recovered