Elk Grove Village Man Pilfers $9.5M in Interstate Heists

CHICAGO – Aivaras Zigmantas, 39, of Elk Grove Village, Illinois, is facing federal charges after allegedly masterminding a multi-million dollar scheme to steal goods from interstate shipments. The indictment, unsealed Wednesday, details a calculated operation that saw Zigmantas and his associates pilfer over $9.5 million worth of merchandise, including high-end liquor and valuable commercial-grade copper.

Federal prosecutors allege Zigmantas operated under a series of false identities, convincingly posing as legitimate representatives of both real and fabricated trucking companies and brokers. He allegedly used these aliases to fraudulently convince individuals and businesses to hand over shipments destined for locations other than those Zigmantas controlled. Once in his possession, the goods were diverted and stolen, leaving a trail of financial ruin for legitimate businesses.

The scope of the alleged fraud is staggering. The indictment claims Zigmantas and his crew initially targeted at least $13.5 million in goods, ultimately succeeding in stealing more than $9.5 million. To facilitate the scheme, Zigmantas reportedly established a network of fake identities, opening bank accounts and UPS Store mailboxes under assumed names. He also created deceptive email addresses and websites to further legitimize his fraudulent operations.

Zigmantas is charged with six counts of wire fraud, five counts of bank fraud, and two counts of theft of interstate shipments. He was arrested Wednesday and entered a plea of not guilty during his arraignment before U.S. Magistrate Judge Keri L. Holleb Hotaling. A detention hearing is scheduled for June 10, 2024, where prosecutors will likely argue for his continued confinement pending trial.

The case is being spearheaded by Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, Morris Pasqual, alongside Sean Fitzgerald, Special Agent-in-Charge of Homeland Security Investigations’ Chicago office, and LaFonda Sutton-Burke, Director of the Chicago Field Office of U.S. Customs and Border Protection. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations also contributed to the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Misty N. Wright is handling the prosecution.

It’s crucial to remember that an indictment is merely an accusation, and Zigmantas is presumed innocent until proven guilty. The government bears the responsibility of proving his guilt beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. If convicted on the bank fraud charges, Zigmantas faces up to 30 years in federal prison per count. Wire fraud carries a potential sentence of up to 20 years per count, and theft of interstate shipments is punishable by up to ten years per count.

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