USA v. Kowalski et al

  1. February 07, 2024

    Ill. Atty's Conviction Over Embezzlement Scheme Sticks

    A former attorney who cried "wolf" over the government preventing him from adequately preparing for trial cannot unwind his conviction for misappropriating a now-shuttered bank's embezzled funds and lying about his assets, an Illinois federal judge ruled Tuesday.

  2. September 25, 2023

    Developers Guilty Of Plotting To Steal From Chicago Bank

    Two Chicago property developers were convicted Friday of conspiring to embezzle and aiding the embezzlement of millions of dollars from the now-shuttered Washington Federal Bank for Savings and falsify bank records to cover up the crime. 

  3. September 11, 2023

    Developers Embezzled Millions From Chicago Bank, Jury Told

    Two property developers conspired with the president of a now-shuttered Chicago bank to embezzle millions in funds through purported real estate loans they had no intention of paying back and instead used the money for their own personal expenses, prosecutors told an Illinois federal jury on Monday.

  4. June 27, 2023

    Ill. Atty Who Helped Hide Bankruptcy Assets Gets 3 Years

    An Illinois attorney received a 37-month prison sentence in federal court Tuesday for helping her since-convicted brother conceal more than $350,000 in bankruptcy assets by placing funds in her attorney trust account and covering her tracks with lies and false documents.

  5. May 15, 2023

    Faulty PC Claim Won't Free Convicted Ill. Atty Pending Appeal

    An Illinois attorney and real estate broker convicted of misappropriating a now-shuttered bank's embezzled funds and lying about his assets must stay in prison pending sentencing because his alleged computer issues during trial prep will unlikely lead to an appellate reversal, a federal judge ruled Monday.

  6. March 10, 2023

    Jury Convicts Ill. Atty Of Bank Embezzlement Scheme

    An Illinois federal jury convicted attorney and real estate developer Robert Kowalski of conspiracy, embezzlement, fraud and several other charges Friday following a four-week trial over accusations that he helped misappropriate at least $8 million from a now-shuttered bank and lied about his assets.

  7. February 14, 2023

    Chicago Atty Central To Bank Embezzlement, Jury Hears

    A Chicago attorney capitalized on his close relationship with a now-shuttered bank's former president to use more than $8 million in embezzled bank funds as a down payment for a large boat and to develop downtown Chicago real estate, an Illinois federal jury heard Tuesday.

  8. June 14, 2022

    Developer Pleads Guilty To Role In $31M Bank Embezzlement

    A real estate developer pled guilty Tuesday to charges that he conspired in an elaborate scheme to embezzle $31 million from the now-shuttered Washington Federal Bank for Savings and failed to claim the money he received on his tax return.

  9. March 04, 2021

    Ill. Atty Pleads Not Guilty To Embezzling $31M From Bank

    A Chicago attorney and several former employees and executives of the shuttered Washington Federal Bank for Savings were among 10 defendants who pled not guilty Thursday to charges that they conspired in an elaborate scheme to embezzle tens of millions of dollars from the Chicago bank before it closed.