Office of the
Illinois Attorney General
Kwame Raoul

Chicago – Attorney General Kwame Raoul charged a Hometown, Illinois man for stealing more than $100,000 by targeting seniors across the country with a fake Publisher’s Clearing House scam.

Raoul’s office charged Frank Zarnay, 75, in Cook County Circuit Court with one count of Class 1 felony theft, punishable by up to 15 years in prison; nine counts of Class 2 felony theft, each punishable by up to seven years in prison; two counts of Class 3 felony theft, each punishable by up to five years in prison; one count of Class 4 felony attempted theft, punishable by up to three years in prison; and seven counts of Class 3 felony mail fraud, punishable by up to five years in prison. Sentences are ultimately determined by the court. Zarnay’s next court date is scheduled for Dec. 14.

“The defendant targeted elderly victims with promises of financial security and then scammed them out of thousands of dollars,” Raoul said. “My office will continue to work to hold scammers accountable and protect seniors from exploitation.”

Raoul alleges that Zarnay was part of a scheme to defraud victims by notifying them that they had won a Publisher’s Clearing House prize worth millions of dollars. Victims were told that they had to send money to Zarnay to claim their winnings.

The Attorney General’s office investigated the case.

The public is reminded that the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

Deputy Bureau Chief Megan McGuire Bachman is prosecuting the case for Raoul’s office.