Former State. Rep Ron Sandack, who resigned in July, went to police after he wired money to the Philippines twice after he was extorted on Facebook and Skype, according to police records.
Downers Grove police, who issued a heavily-redacted police report Friday, said the case is closed and no charges are forthcoming.
According to police, the scheme began shortly after Sandack, a Republican and ally of Gov. Bruce Rauner, accepted a Facebook friend request on July 7 and exchanged messages with that person. Five days later, a woman in her early 20s with long black hair called him on Skype, police say.
On July 12, Sandack wired money overseas after he received a Facebook message that made a demand and showed his Facebook contacts in a text document, police said.
Sandack wired more money to the Philippines on July 14 after he received additional Skype messages and saw multiple fake Facebook pages “using his persona” that were created without his permission, according to the police report. After receiving more money demands a few hours later, Sandack went to police.
Sandack, the former mayor of Downers Grove, resigned from his state representative seat on July 25, citing the investigation.
In a statement, Sandack said he made “poor decisions” that hurt his family but the incident did not involve his job as a state legislator. Sandack’s statement is below.
This past July, I was the target of an international crime ring focusing on high profile individuals luring them to engage in inappropriate online conversations with the intent of extortion. I took their bait and fell for it hook, line and sinker. Subsequently, counterfeit social media accounts were created jeopardizing my online identity. Nonetheless, I was a victim. Poor decisions on my part enabled me to be a victim and, as a responsible citizen, I reported it and have been working with the police throughout their investigation. I want it to be clear that no aspect of my involvement in this incident was related to my position as a State Representative nor was the computer state property. I’m human. I made a mistake for which I am remorseful and ashamed; especially because I have hurt my family, and there is no greater self-inflicted wound than that.”
