A South Beloit woman has been charged in connection with a fraudulent home sale scheme that cost a victim $7,340. Maria Elia Munoz, 63, from the 700 block of Wheeler Avenue, faces two felony charges: identity theft for financial gain and theft by false representation. The latter charge is the more serious of the two, carrying a potential 10-year prison sentence and a $10,000 fine if convicted.
The criminal complaint reveals that the victim, who was attempting to buy a house on Shopiere Road through a rent-to-own agreement, made five payments to a woman she knew only as “Elia.” The payments were supposedly for deposits, fees, and legal expenses, but the woman was never allowed inside the house. The alleged reason given was that the current tenant was disabled, and allowing access would violate his privacy.
When Beloit police contacted the homeowner of the Shopiere Road property, they learned that he had no intention of selling or renting his home. Despite this, the victim was contacted again by the fraudulent agent and asked for more money. Police arranged a meeting with the victim on January 16, during which a different woman, later identified as Maricruz Casique, arrived to collect the payment.
Casique told authorities that she had been instructed to pick up the money but did not realize it was part of a fraudulent scheme. She has since been charged with false representation as a party to a crime and identity theft for financial gain.
Casique, who reportedly frequently buys and sells properties, owns six properties in Illinois, including one on Wheeler Avenue with Munoz. Munoz, however, claimed she was merely collecting gambling debts from the victim.
Casique made her first court appearance on January 21, with a follow-up scheduled for Monday. Munoz’s initial court appearance is set for February 26.
