FBI: Libertyville businessman tried to hire hitman
The president of a Libertyville real estate company was arrested at the Denver International Airport after attempting to hire a hitman to kill a Florida man, according to U.S. District Court documents.
According to an FBI affidavit, Brooks Kellogg, 73, of the 100 block of East Chestnut Street in Chicago, met an undercover FBI agent at the airport Tuesday and paid the agent $2,000 in cash to commit the murder of Stephan Bunyard.
Corporations controlled by Bunyard had won a $2.5 million lawsuit filed in Steamboat Springs, Colo., earlier this year against Kellogg and an associate following a real estate deal, according to the FBI.
Kellogg, a managing partner at a Colorado-based real estate development company and president of its Libertyville-based affiliate, Beth Corp., began planning the hit on Sept. 5, according to the FBI.
On the day of his arrest, Kellogg was asked by the undercover agent, “You're the customer here. You want him killed?” according to the affidavit.
Kellogg said, “Yeah,” the affidavit indicates.
The agent then asked Kellogg if he had any other jobs for him.
Kellogg responded by saying, “Yeah, I've got some other things in mind,” according to the FBI.
The affidavit states that Kellogg did not express any reluctance to having Bunyard killed at any point in the conversation, and that Kellogg did not make any statement that he wanted any other, less serious, action taken against Bunyard.
Authorities were tipped by a Colorado woman claiming to be Kellogg's mistress after Kellogg approached her in September asking her to “take action” against Bunyard, according to the FBI.
She said the Kellogg initially wanted Bunyard “warned” by sending him to the hospital with an injury, but after a number of e-mail and instant message exchanges, Kellogg agreed that the best option would be to murder him, according to the FBI.
The alleged mistress told Kellogg that her husband would be able to commit the murder.
According to the FBI, in one instant message exchange between Kellogg and a person he believed was the would-be killer, Kellogg stated, “Well our thought was to give him a warning but if thats not safe for you to do then the bullet is fine.” Kellogg went on to write, “bullet is the only way to safely get the job done,” according to the FBI.
Banking records show that $13,000 was wired from Kellogg's company to the mistress. She claimed that $6,000 was sent in one wire for the contracted killing, according to the FBI.
Kellogg is believed to also have residences in Steamboat Springs, Colo. and Hays, Kan. He has no criminal history, according to the FBI.
Kellogg is charged with one count of use of interstate commerce facilities and mails in the commission of murder-for-hire.
Kellogg appeared in federal court Wednesday and is being held without bond pending a detention hearing scheduled for 10 a.m. Monday.
Kellogg was born in Oberlin, Kan., according to his company's website.
“He has developed several recreational multifamily projects at U.S. resort destinations and continues to own and manage office buildings and shopping centers in Chicago and Steamboat Springs,” his website states.
If convicted, he could face 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.