Two Chicago men have been detained pending trial after they allegedly stole over $60,000 from an elderly couple in Spring Grove while impersonating FTC agents.
Jayesh Rabari, 34, of Chicago, and Nikul N. Desai, 27, of Chicago, were charged with financial exploitation of the elderly or disabled exceeding $50,000, theft by deception over $5,000 involving an elderly person and false personation of a federal employee.
A criminal complaint filed in McHenry County Circuit Court alleges Rabari and Desai falsely represented themselves as agents with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).
The two deceived an elderly couple from Spring Grove, the complaint said, adding that the incident occurred on Friday evening.
While standing in a position of trust and confidence with the elderly couple, Rabari and Desai obtained control of more than $60,000 in cash from them while posing as FTC agents, the complaint said.
Officers arrested Rabari and Desai and transported them to the McHenry County Jail.
The McHenry County State’s Attorney’s Office filed petitions to detain the two pending trial, calling them willful flight risks.
Rabari and Desai appeared in court on Saturday and were assigned Hindi interpreters during their hearings.
McHenry County Judge Carl Metz ordered them both detained pending trial after granting the state’s petition.
The judge agreed with prosecutors that they pose a real and present threat of willful flight and no conditions of release could mitigate the risk.
Metz said in his ruling that he made the decision due to Rabari and Desai’s expressed desire to return back to India.
A status of preliminary hearing is scheduled for Tuesday morning in both cases.