Northlake Facility Boss Embezzles Millions: Authorities

NORTHLAKE, IL – The head of a Chicago-area nonprofit group has been indicted for embezzling millions of dollars in cash and real estate interests, federal prosecutors said Wednesday.

William Schneider, 54, of Antioch, served as executive director of the organization, which provided affordable housing for low-income people and senior citizens in the Chicago area and Florida, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office. The group was not identified in the indictment.

From 2018 to 2022, Schneider fraudulently transferred cash and real estate interests from the nonprofit to himself, concealing the fraud by fabricating the documents to indicate the transfers were authorized, prosecutors said.

The real estate interests included the rights to use the roof of the group's senior living facility in Northlake as a location for a cellphone tower, authorities said.

In early 2022, Schneider caused the nonprofit to assign its interest in the cellphone tower to a company owned by him in exchange for no money or other consideration, according to the indictment. Shortly after, Schneider is accused of selling the interest in the roof to a third-party real estate company for about $500,000.

Prosecutors also allege Schneider sought and obtained kickbacks or bribes from brokerage and architectural firms retained by the nonprofit for projects in Illinois and Florida.

Schneider is charged with five counts of wire fraud and two counts of mail fraud.