Man involved in Lincolnshire investment scam found murdered
A 26-year-old Chicago man who was involved in a money laundering scheme that targeted a Lincolnshire firm's retirement accounts was found murdered early Monday, according to police.
Niven Beluso was shot and killed at 1 a.m. Monday in an alley near his house, authorities said.
Chicago police officer John Mirabelli said Beluso was suffering from a gunshot wound to the head when they arrived at the scene at 12:53 a.m. He was pronounced dead at the scene, Mirabelli said.
He said the incident remains still under investigation. As of about 5 p.m. police said there were no suspects in custody.
Beluso was one of four people charged with trying to steal $330,000 from Hewitt and Associates in Lincolnshire and was placed on court supervision in January after admitting his role in the scam.
Beluso was also ordered to pay $27,000 in restitution to Hewitt as part of his negotiated plea in the case.
Authorities said Beluso allowed $100,000 stolen from the Hewitt retirement accounts to be transferred into his personal bank account.
The transfers were made possible because Hewitt employee Cherilyn Thomas, 25, of the 4100 block of Bonhill Drive in Arlington Heights, had stolen information pertaining to the accounts and passed that information on to others, authorities said.
Another Chicago man withdrew money from the accounts and transferred it into the personal accounts of Beluso and another individual.