Chief Financial Officer of Suburban IT Consulting Firm Charged With Embezzling More Than $1.3 Million in Company Funds
CHICAGO — The former chief financial officer of a suburban IT consulting firm has been indicted on federal fraud charges for allegedly embezzling more than $1.3 million in company funds.
ANTHONY FREMAREK fraudulently caused funds from two of the Schaumburg-based company’s bank accounts to be used to pay his personal credit cards, according to an indictment unsealed Jan. 14, 2021, in U.S. District in Chicago. Fremarek attempted to conceal the embezzlement by falsifying entries in the company’s accounting system to disguise the payments as seemingly legitimate business expenses, the indictment states. The alleged fraud scheme spanned from 2013 to 2019.
The indictment charges Fremarek, 49, of Plainfield, with four counts of wire fraud and two counts of making false statements to a financial institution. Fremarek has pleaded not guilty to the charges.
The indictment was announced by John R. Lausch, Jr., United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; and Christopher Diiorio, Special Agent-in-Charge of the U.S. Secret Service Chicago Field Office. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ashley A. Chung.
The public is reminded that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. Each false statement count carries a maximum sentence of 30 years in federal prison, while each count of wire fraud is punishable by up to 20 years. If convicted, the Court must impose a reasonable sentence under federal statutes and the advisory U.S. Sentencing Guidelines.