'Smooth talking' banker charged in Glen Ellyn theft scheme

Authorities say a former Glen Ellyn banker used forged money orders to steal more than $10,000 from two customers, including an elderly man who described him as a “smooth talker” on Thursday.

DuPage County Judge Daniel Guerin set bail at $50,000 for Brian I. Rios, 25, of Chicago, who faces a 15-count felony complaint.

Rios is accused of forging eight money orders from the accounts of two customers at Fifth Third Bank in Glen Ellyn. The thefts took place in an 18-month span while Rios was a personal banker, said Assistant State's Attorney Louisa Nuckolls.

One of the victims, 77-year-old Gerald Thielmeier, said he and his wife were taken for nearly $3,500 after they remortgaged their Glen Ellyn home last year. It was the same amount they were expecting to be withdrawn from their account for an initial tax installment, he said Thursday.

Thielmeier said he became suspicious when he was contacted about having not paid the taxes even though the money had been deducted from his account. He said Rios also asked to borrow money to put toward a down payment for a new house.

“We thanked the good Lord we didn't get suckered into giving him a loan,” Thielmeier, a retired General Motors salesman, said. “He's a nice guy, a smooth talker with all the details.”

Authorities said a second victim — a 48-year-old Glen Ellyn woman — asked Rios to move money into a new account in her daughter's name. Instead, he moved the money into a different account held by the victim and took $7,300, Nuckolls said.

In both cases, Rios forged money orders filled out in his own name while developing close personal relationships with the victims, according to the charges.

Thielmeier said he learned a signature on one money order wasn't his. “The reason I knew it wasn't mine was that mine is a little shaky,” he said.

Thielmeier said he and his wife were “appalled and shocked” when they learned of the allegations.

“You hear about being getting scammed, and then here you are,” he said. “I'd like to see him (Rios) get a little time, let him think about how smart he is.”

In court Thursday, Rios told the judge he was fired last week after he informed his boss of the allegations. A Fifth Third Bank spokesman did not immediately return a call seeking comment.

Rios, formerly of Aurora, is facing charges of financial institution fraud, financial exploitation of an elderly person, continuing a financial crimes enterprise, forgery, theft and identity theft.

He was being held in the county jail Thursday and returns to court Feb. 9.