5 years in prison for former Villa Park Islamic Foundation finance chief
The former finance director of the Islamic Foundation in Villa Park was sentenced Thursday to five years in prison after admitting he stole hundreds of thousands of dollars from the foundation.
Inam Rahim, 60, of the 1700 block of Conan Doyle Road in Naperville, pleaded guilty to theft of more than $100,000 moments before a jury was to be selected for his trial earlier this spring.
Prosecutors say Rahim stole more than $624,000 between May 2009 and June 2011 by paying himself significantly more than his $69,500 annual salary and placing his wife, who did not work at the center, on the payroll.
Judge John Kinsella, however, determined Thursday that Rahim actually took just more than $450,000 during that time. Rahim was ordered to pay that amount back to the foundation as part of his sentence.
Prosecutors said Rahim placed his wife's name on the payroll a total of 82 times and wrote 55 foundation checks to Wright Enterprise, a business owned by Rahim. The loss was discovered in August 2011 during a payroll review.
Kinsella said his sentence, which could have ranged from four to 15 years in prison, was influenced by Rahim's lack of a criminal history and his motivation.
"Typically in these cases, the theft is motivated by alcohol or drugs or the need to maintain an extravagant lifestyle," Kinsella said. "The defendant's motivation, however, appears to not be anything other than paying for the expense of raising his family and educating his children."
Several of Rahim's children and family friends testified on his behalf during the sentencing, which stretched over three afternoons, calling him a generous family man who sacrificed so his family could benefit.
Foundation trustee and spokesman Shaik Kaleem, however, said after the sentencing that Rahim had broken the foundation's trust forever.
"Prosecutors worked a long time on this case and we believe justice was served this afternoon. We got closure," Kaleem said. "The foundation is supported entirely by donations from the public and people from every economic status. And he stole the public's money, so he must be punished."
Rahim must serve half of the sentence before being eligible for the two years of parole to follow his sentence.
Rahim's attorney, Stephen Richards, said he intends to file a motion asking Kinsella to reconsider his sentence. Rahim's next court date is scheduled for Oct. 16.