Itasca woman charged with attempting to defraud 9 financial institutions, U.S. Small Business Association
Beata Zielinski
ITASCA, Ill. - A 55-year-old woman is accused of attempting to defraud at least nine different financial institutions and the U.S. Small Business Association.
Beata Zielinski, of Itasca, has been charged with three counts of theft of governmental property, eight counts of theft in excess of $100,000, one count of financial institution fraud, one count of continuing a financial crimes enterprise, three counts of theft in excess of $10,000, four counts of financial institution fraud in excess of $10,000, one count of money laundering in excess of $10,000, eight counts of financial institution fraud in excess of $500 and seven counts of forgery.
Prosecutors say that from June 2017 through July 2020, Zielinski allegedly engaged in multiple identity theft schemes to illegally obtain funds from private banks and through a Small Business Adminstration Economic Injury Disaster Loan related to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Additionally, Zielinski allegedly conducted a business email compromise scheme, where she would hack a private business' email account.
Prosecutors say she allegedly had access to the victim's email and would then direct the business' bank to send money to another bank account controlled by Zielinski.
Through these schemes, she allegedly obtained more than $373,000.
"White collar crimes, as alleged in this case, are often times extremely difficult to detect as the accused will make every attempt to erase any paper trail that may lead to them. This case was no different," said DuPage County State’s Attorney Robert Berlin.
Bond was set at $100,000 for Zielinski.
Zielinski’s next court date is scheduled for March 3.