Former bookkeeper at North Side non-profit indicted

A former bookkeeper at the American Indian Center on Chicago’s North Side has been indicted after an audit uncovered that more than $60,000 from the not-for-profit agency had been misappropriated, according to the Office of Cook County State’s Attorney Anita Alvarez.

Cristobal Cotto, 28, of Chicago, was indicted today on numerous counts of Continuing a Financial Crimes Enterprise, Theft, and Forgery. If convicted he faces up to 15 years in prison.

According to prosecutors, Cotto began working as the bookkeeper for the American Indian Center in May of 2007 before he was laid off in 2009 due to a shortage of funds. An audit of the organization’s finances revealed that the defendant had written numerous unauthorized checks to himself and cashed them at nearby currency exchanges.

Authorities recovered surveillance of Cotto during the transactions. His driver’s license information was also recorded by the currency exchanges when he cashed the checks.

In total the defendant is alleged to have written 153 unauthorized checks to himself totaling more than $60,000 in stolen funds from the agency.  

Cotto appeared in court today where he pled not guilty.  His bond was set at $100,000 and the case was continued to Jan. 9, 2011.

The public is reminded that charging documents contain allegations that are not evidence of guilt. The defendant is entitled to a fair trial at which the state has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.