Judge to decide fate of former Villa Park Islamic Foundation finance chief
The former finance director of the Islamic Foundation in Villa Park faces as many as 15 years in prison today, though prosecutors are seeking 11 on charges he stole more than $500,000 from his former employer.
Judge John Kinsella is expected to sentence Inam Rahim, 60, of the 1700 block of Conan Doyle Road in Naperville, after two consecutive afternoons of testimony in the case. Rahim pleaded guilty to theft of over $100,000 moments before a jury was to be selected for his trial earlier this spring.
Prosecutors say Rahim stole more than $624,000 between May 2009 and June 2011 by paying himself significantly more than his $69,500 annual salary and placing his wife, who did not work at the center, on the payroll.
“He told me his wife never worked a day in her life at the Islamic Foundation,” Villa Park detective Jeff Runge testified Wednesday. “He told me he felt he was underpaid. He didn't like to see the Islamic Foundation waste money on people he didn't think deserved it, so he self-paid himself and put his wife on the payroll.”
Assistant State's Attorney Shanti Kulkarni said Rahim profited to the tune of $533,000 but said the foundation's loss is more than $624,000 because of benefits and payroll taxes that also were paid.
Kulkarni said Rahim placed his wife's name on the payroll a total of 82 times and wrote 55 foundation checks to Wright Enterprise, a business owned by Rahim.
“He helped himself to $624,000 and still thought he deserved $300,000 more,”Kulkarni said. “The defendant thinks he's a million-dollar accountant.”
The loss was discovered in August 2011 during a payroll review.
Rahim, who now earns minimum wage as an assistant manager at a local pancake chain, initially was charged in April 2012 with stealing more than $200,000, but a lengthy review of bank records eventually turned up the larger sums.
Several of Rahim's children and family friends testified on his behalf, calling him a generous family man who sacrificed so his family could benefit.
Rahim, himself, sought mercy from Kinsella, telling him his pride kept him from pleading guilty as the case dragged on.
“My pride was at stake and everyone was watching,” Rahim told the judge. “My pride blinded me from coming to terms with what I have done.”
Kinsella will rule on Rahim's sentence at 2 p.m. in courtroom 4000. Prosecutors are seeking an 11-year sentence while Rahim's attorney, Stephen Richards, asked Kinsella to consider a sentence of probation and restitution.