Former attorney gets six years in prison for identity theft

A former Glendale Heights attorney has been sentenced to six years in prison for using his then-girlfriend’s personal identifying information to defraud banks out of more than $82,000 over a roughly 18-month period.

Leonard DeFranco, 71, appeared at his sentencing hearing Friday in front of DuPage County Judge Mia McPherson, who handed down the prison term.

Last May, DeFranco entered a blind plea of guilty to one felony count of identity theft.

DeFranco was charged with 13 counts of identity theft, 26 counts of forgery, four counts of financial institution fraud, one count of continuing a financial crimes enterprise and two counts of obstruction of justice, all felonies.

The sentence stems from allegations that between Dec. 2, 2015, and June 8, 2017, DeFranco, without authorization, used the personal identifying information of his then-girlfriend to obtain four loans totaling $82,700.

DeFranco’s scheme was uncovered when the victim ran her credit report and discovered the loans, according to a press release from the DuPage state’s attorney’s office. Once she uncovered the fraudulent loans, she contacted law enforcement and the financial institutions that provided the loans. Authorities learned that in one instance, DeFranco used his victim’s personal identifying information to secure a loan in her name for the purchase of a $43,500 Audi A8.

Prosecutors said that DeFranco, through various schemes, had stolen more than $845,000 from a dozen victims, including his former girlfriend, five individuals and six financial institutions.

The Illinois Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission disbarred DeFranco effective March 19.