Burr Ridge Realtor accused of pocketing earnest money

A Burr Ridge Realtor accused of stealing more than $145,000 from the earnest money accounts of at least a dozen clients faces several felony charges.

Harry Simons, 48, of the 7900 block of William Drive, Willowbrook, is being held on $300,000 bail following his Friday arrest.

Simons is charged with five counts of felony theft, the most serious of which is punishable by up to 15 years in prison.

Prosecutors say that between February 2013 and February 2014, Simons accepted deposits totaling $145,300 from clients who wished to use his real estate agency, County Line RE/MAX in Burr Ridge, to purchase a home. Instead of using that money for its intended purpose, Simons is accused of keeping the money for himself.

Simons also is accused of writing himself unauthorized checks from the agency's account for business and personal expenses.

Prosecutors say fellow brokers discovered the alleged scheme that led to an investigation by Burr Ridge police, the Chicago Office of the Federal Housing Finance Agency, Office of Inspector General and the DuPage County state's attorney's office.

“If these allegations are proven true, simple greed led Harry Simons to steal thousands of dollars from unsuspecting homebuyers who had placed their trust in him,” DuPage County State's Attorney Robert Berlin said in a written statement.

Judge Brian Diamond issued a $300,000 arrest warrant for Simons on March 18. Simons turned himself in to police on Friday. He is scheduled to be arraigned on the charges on May 4 in front of Judge Robert Kleeman.