⏱ 2 min read
A brazen scam in Chicago has landed a local man in federal prison for nearly eight years. David W. Brown, 56, orchestrated a massive utility fraud scheme, arranging for free electricity and natural gas services to be provided to over 2,000 properties in the Chicago area from 2017 to 2024. Brown would open new accounts using false customer names and identifying information, allowing the properties to receive free services for months before the utility companies caught on.
Brown’s scheme caused significant losses to local utility companies, including Commonwealth Edison, Nicor Gas, and People’s Gas, totaling at least $8.5 million. He would typically receive payments ranging from $50 to $150 every few months from the property owners and tenants who received the services. Once a utility company initiated the process to terminate service, Brown would continue the service by fraudulently opening new accounts in the names of different false customers at the same address.
Brown pleaded guilty to a federal wire fraud charge in July 2025 and was sentenced to 92 months in federal prison. He was also ordered to pay approximately $8.5 million in restitution to the affected utility companies. The sentence was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Douglas S. DePodesta, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI.
The investigation and prosecution of Brown’s scheme demonstrate the commitment of law enforcement to combating utility fraud and protecting the interests of local utility companies and their customers. Brown’s sentence serves as a warning to others who would engage in similar schemes, and his restitution order will help to compensate the utility companies for their losses.
📋 Key Facts
- Crime: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Defendant: Illinois
- Location: IL
- Source: DOJ Press Release
