Man charged with scamming widower

A Lake Zurich man was charged Thursday with stealing from the estate of a woman who died of cancer and using her husband's credit card while he recovered from a car crash.

Jon Lindvall, 46, the owner of a chain of gift shops in the area, is charged with theft over $100,000 and unlawful use of a credit card.

Lou Archbold, an investigator for the Lake County state's attorney's office, said Lindvall met Robert Larson of Lake Zurich at church in April 2004.

Larson's wife, Lara, was dying of cancer at the time, Archbold said, and Lindvall persuaded Larson to make him the executor of her estate.

Lara Larson suffered from alveolar soft-part sarcoma, and a series of articles in the Daily Herald chronicled her struggle against the disease while trying to care for her husband and seven children.

She died on April 28, 2004, at the age of 36, and soon afterward the proceeds from her life insurance and other assets were placed in a trust under Lindvall's control, Archbold said.

Robert Larson agreed to lend Lindvall $100,000 from the trust, Archbold said, but Lindvall wound up taking more than $250,000 from the account.

In addition, after Robert Larson was seriously injured in a car accident in 2005, Lindvall obtained one of his credit card numbers and is accused of spending about $14,000.

"He essentially used the victim's money as his own," Archbold said. "We believe everything he took went to support his businesses."

He said Lindvall is the owner of Lindvall Gift Shops, which have stores in Lake Zurich, Buffalo Grove, Hoffman Estates and Deerfield.

Lindvall was arrested Thursday morning at his home at 503 Prairie Lane and appeared in bond court later the same day.

Associate Judge Raymond Collins ordered him held on $50,000 bond and scheduled another court date for Thursday, Oct. 9.

Archbold said Lindvall faces up to 20 years in prison if convicted.