Elgin attorney facing new theft charges, hospitalized

New charges have been filed against an Elgin attorney accused of stealing large sums of money from his clients, prosecutors said Friday.

William Chesbrough, 57, of the 1400 block of Grant Point Boulevard, was indicted by a Kane County grand jury July 23 on eight counts of theft over $300 and one count of theft over $10,000, according to court records. Coincidentally, his attorney said, he was hospitalized the same day.

Chesbrough was first charged last November amid allegations he stole more than $140,000 from two clients, including an elderly woman.

In the latest indictment, he is accused of stealing $70,000 in bank assets from a housing project escrow, special prosecutor Charles Colburn said. According to charging documents, money was stolen from six individuals and three couples who had money in the account in August 2009.

Chesbrough was absent from a scheduled court appearance Friday in front of Judge T. Jordan Gallagher, who said the new charges carry an arrest warrant with a $25,000 bail.

Defense attorney Gary Johnson said his client has been hospitalized at Central DuPage Hospital since July 23, and will surrender "as soon as he gets out."

Johnson wouldn't elaborate on the hospitalization, but said it was unrelated to Chesbrough's indictment the same day.

"It was coincidental," he said.

Johnson declined to comment on the new charges.

Chesbrough, who is due back in court Sept. 23, was licensed to practice in Illinois in 1980, but he is no longer registered as an attorney and is now facing disbarment, according to public records. In early July, Citibank sued him, claiming he's exceeded his credit limit and owes nearly $65,000.