Oak Lawn Real Estate Executive Puts Up Truck Trailer for Collateral in Murder-for-Hire Plot: FBI

CHICAGO, IL -- An Oak Lawn real estate executive angry over having to pay $900,000 in court litigation is accused of trying to hire a hit man to murder the attorney and an another relative, a federal complaint said.

Lyle Anastos was arrested on Oct. 4 after weeks of secretly recorded conversations with an acquaintance, who was working for the FBI as a confidential source. The 35-year-old real estate executive is charged with using interstate commerce in the commission of a murder for hire.

In secret recordings, the feds maintained that Anastos can be heard agreeing to pay up to $10,000 to put a hit against the attorney and a relative using a dump trailer as collateral. Anastos also added that he “wanted to see pictures” after the hit was completed.

According to the criminal complaint, in June, an attorney-- identified as Individual C -- was representing Anastos’ grandmother’s new husband (Individual B) in a civil suit filed in Cook County Circuit Court. The lawsuit alleged that Anastos had defrauded Individual B in a real estate deal. The attorney was able to secure more than $900,000 in legal judgements against Anastos and his realty entities.

Anastos signed a demand note in his capacity as president of Skyline 1 Properties, 9901 Southwest Highway in Oak Lawn. His wife’s name also appears on the demand note, as does Individual B. Both Anastos and his wife agreed to a collateral agreement covering 13 properties, including property in the 5300 block of West Oakdale in Oak Lawn, which is listed as Anastos’ mailing address, and another in the 9600 block of South Troy Street in Evergreen Park, the complaint said.

Murder for Hire

On Sept. 12, the complaint alleges that Individual B’s attorney filed a motion stating that Anastos sold a property in Michigan and kept the proceeds for himself. The next day, a Cook County judge entered an order for Anastos to turn over approximately $227,636 from the sale. Neither Anastos nor his wife were in court, the FBI said.

That same day, an acquaintance of Anastos went to the FBI office in Indiana. The acquaintance told federal agents that Anastos had allegedly sought his assistance in a murder-for-hire plot, but he turned Anastos down. After meeting with federal agents, the acquaintance -- who agreed to work as a confidential source -- turned himself in on pending fraud charges in Lake County, IN, where he was eventually extradited to Will County.

In jailhouse interviews with the FBI, the confidential source said that Anastos had reached out to him in July, seeking his help in using his family’s mob connections to kill two people. Anastos contacted the source again in August, this time wanting to add a third person that he wanted killed, according to the complaint.

Secret Recordings

On Sept. 23, FBI agents watched Anastos enter the Will County Jail where the confidential source had been extradited. The two were seen leaving the jail and driving off together. Prior to being bonded out, the confidential source was equipped with a hidden recording device. The FBI instructed him to discuss a fictitious hit man with Anastos.

The FBI said Anastos could be heard on the secret recordings telling the confidential source about getting together “with the boys” and the court-ordered repayment. Asked if Anastos was still interested in having the attorney and Individual B killed, the FBI said Anastos responded that he was, “Totally fine with those two [Individuals B and C]. I’d like to see those two f------ go.”

Anastos asked the source to “fill me in how that doesn’t come back to me. I’m mean, I’m sure they’ll look into me, but uh, do they disappear or is it a walk up, back of the head,” according according to the recordings. After the confidential source said he would introduce Anastos to a “guy we use,” the FBI said that Anastos then asked if the hit man was “expensive.” The confidential source said that Anastos would probably be looking at “five to ten grand per person.”

The two continued to meet over the next several weeks. On Tuesday, at an undisclosed restaurant, Anastos described his financial situation with the source as being “completely f---ed.” Anastos is also heard on recordings lallegedly toying with the idea of doing the job himself.

“I’m going to take the two of them out, in public, do it in front of my f---ing grandmother, and then put a bullet in my own head” and his wife could keep the insurance, the complaint said.

Later in the day, the FBI said that Anastos called the confidential source again, stating he would sign the title over for his dump trailer -- valued at $5,000 -- as collateral. Anastos would get the trailer back after he paid the hit man.

The two agreed to meet later in the day so Anastos could hand over to the dump trailer. The confidential source was again wired up. He asked Anastos if this was what he wanted and that the killing would take place, the recordings indicated.

The real estate executive indicated he wanted the hit to go through, adding that he “wanted to see pictures,” the complaint said. The FBI moved in and took Anastos and the confidential source into custody.

After his arrest, the FBI said Anastos admitted to asking the confidential source to help him line up a hit man, which was why he gave him the title for the trailer. The FBI said that Anastos also told them he did not want his grandmother’s husband.

U.S. Magistrate Judge Jeffrey T, Gilbert ordered Anastos to remain in federal custody after an initial appearance on Wednesday. He is scheduled for a bail hearing on Friday.