'Lottery Winner' Scams Victim At Grocery Store: Des Plaines PD

DES PLAINES, IL — A Chicago woman is facing a felony theft charge following a three-month investigation into a series of incidents that started at a Des Plaines grocery store. Liliana Nagles Cuesta, 49, of the 3100 block of W. Montrose Avenue, was arrested Tuesday and subsequently released.

The charge stems from a November 2023 incident at a grocery store in the 1500 block of S. Lee Street. Police were called to the store for a report of a theft. They met with the victim, who said she had entered the store through the south entrance and was approached by a woman in a red shirt. The woman began asking the victim on how to get to a location in Mount Prospect when a man joined the conversation, insisting the victim help the woman.

Soon thereafter, the woman told the victim her boss had given her a lottery ticket worth a large sum of money. The woman led the victim to believe she was calling the Illinois Lottery office, who then on speakerphone confirmed the ticket was worth a large sum of money and that the person redeeming the ticket would need to show proof of income.

At this time, both the man and woman accompanied the victim into the victim's vehicle. The man said he would withdraw money from his bank to help provide proof of income. Upon returning to the car, the man produced a large wad of cash (unknown amount) as proof that he had withdrawn money.

The victim was then told they needed to do the same. The victim drove to their bank, along with the subjects, and withdrew $5,000 in cash. The woman advised the victim that she doesn't think that would be enough. The victim said they had had more money at their residence. The victim drove to her residence with the two subjects and retrieved an additional $3,800 and gave it to the man. The man said he would place everything in an envelope and put it in the trunk. The victim then returned to the grocery store parking lot where both the man and woman exited the vehicle and went inside, saying they would return shortly.

The duo never returned and the victim soon realized the subjects had taken all the money with them.

The incident was turned over to the detective bureau for a follow-up investigation. After Nagels Cuesta was identified as the subject who had stolen from the victim, multiple attempts to get in contact were unsuccessful. Finally, they were able to contact her attorney and she agreed to turn herself in.

The Cook County State's Attorney's Office approved the felony charge.