Probation for Hanover Park men involved in banking scheme
Two Hanover Park men involved in a scheme to defraud a TCF Bank in Arlington Heights pleaded guilty to misdemeanor theft Tuesday.
Cook County Judge Thomas Fecarotta sentenced Benjamin Andrade, 21, and Antonio Rodriguez, 22, to one year probation in exchange for their guilty pleas. In addition, Fecarotta ordered the defendants to pay a total of $2,000 in restitution, adding that if one defendant does not pay his share, the other defendant is liable for the entire amount.
A third defendant, 22-year-old Jovanny Sosa, pleaded guilty to misappropriating property from a bank last month and was sentenced to two years probation.
Authorities say Sosa, an employee of TCF's Arlington Heights branch, set up several savings accounts that were "wholly fraudulent," said Cook County Assistant State's Attorney Mike Crowe. Andrade and Rodriguez then accessed the accounts through an ATM on May 15, 2013, and withdrew a total of $2,000, Crowe said.
Rodriguez apologized to the court.
"I'm sorry for what I did," he said.