Former banker pleads guilty to stealing from elderly customers

A former Downers Grove banker pleaded guilty Wednesday to stealing more than $328,000 from three elderly customers.

Christine Lange, 48, of Summit, was apprehended in late July 2017, roughly four months after a warrant for her arrest was issued. She is free on $250,000 bail and now faces between four and 15 years in prison when she is sentenced later this year.

In exchange for her guilty plea to theft charges, prosecutors dismissed charges of financial exploitation of the elderly, financial institution fraud and aggravated identity theft.

Wednesday, Assistant State's Attorney Lynn Cavallo told Judge Robert Miller that Lange was employed as an account executive at Trust Company of Illinois in Downers Grove, where she had access to customers' bank accounts.

Cavallo said that between September 2012 and June 2016, Lange transferred money from the accounts of three customers to her own personal accounts. She said Lange made at least 84 illegal transfers totaling $328,000.

The scheme came to light when TCI discovered the thefts as part of an internal audit. All the victims were in their early 90s.

Lange's sentencing date is scheduled to be set at her next court date on Oct. 01.