Federal Jury Convicts Man of Extorting Money From Chicago Restaurateur

CHICAGO — A federal jury has convicted a man on extortion charges for threatening and assaulting a Chicago restaurateur to collect a debt.

JAWAD FAKROUNE, also known as “Angelino Escobar” or “Anjelino Escobar,” 46, was found guilty on both extortion counts against him. The jury returned its verdicts after a week-long trial in federal court in Chicago.  Each count is punishable by up to 20 years in federal prison.  U.S. District Judge Manish S. Shah set sentencing for June 30, 2026.

Fakroune is a foreign national who recently resided in the Chicago area.  Evidence at trial revealed that in 2023 and 2024, Fakroune loaned approximately $405,000 to the restaurateur to develop and open a new restaurant in the Lincoln Park neighborhood of Chicago and to pay back taxes.  In November 2024, Fakroune began to threaten the restaurateur about repayment of the loan.  On the evening of Nov. 25, 2024, Fakroune confronted the restaurateur and threatened him over the manner and nature of the repayments.  Fakroune choked, kicked, and punched the restaurateur, while continuing to demand money and repeatedly threatening the lives of the restaurateur and his family.

The guilty verdicts were announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, Douglas S. DePodesta, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI, and Adam Jobes, Special Agent-in-Charge of IRS Criminal Investigation in Chicago.  The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sean Hennessy and Richard M. Rothblatt.