Pennsylvania Man Posed As Woman's Nephew Needing $6K: Officials

Plainfield IL

15 February, 2022

5:47 PM

Description

PLAINFIELD, IL — Prosecutors said a Pennsylvania man defrauded a Plainfield woman out of $11,000 through ATM deposit scam. Jose Vargas posted bond Tuesday after turning himself in to authorities. On April 27, 2021, a Plainfield resident got a call from a man who said he was an attorney representing her nephew. The man told her that her nephew had been arrested following a traffic crash and needed bail money. After the man provided instructions on how to deposit cash — including a code to enter into a PNC Bank ATM — she instructed her son to make an initial deposit of $6,000, according to court documents and Plainfield police. Police used surveillance video from the ATM and compared it with a Pennsylvania driver's license photo to identify the man as Vargas. Other financial records showed Vargas was the owner of the account where the $6,000 was transferred, according to police. Police said the woman sent an additional $5,000 to her "nephew" after the initial amount, but PNC Bank is holding on to that money while they complete an internal investigation into the situation, Plainfield Commander Anthony Novak told Patch. Vargas was charged with three felonies: continuing financial crimes enterprise, theft by deception and wire fraud. A complaint warrant was filed with a circuit court in Will County on Dec. 29, and Vargas was indicted on Jan. 20, according to Carole Cheney, director of public affairs at the Will County State's Attorney's Office. Bail was originally set at $150,000, with 10 percent to apply. But a Feb. 1 motion reduced Vargas's bail to $110,000 in exchange for his voluntarily surrender, Cheney told Patch. Vargas turned himself in to authorities and appeared in court with his attorney on Feb. 7, but posted an $11,000 bond to secure his release on Tuesday, according to Cheney. His next court date is set for March 16.