Wheaton Attorney Accused of Bilking Trusts of Deceased Clients

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A Wheaton attorney has been arrested for stealing more than $2 million from clients, including four former clients who were deceased, prosecutors said Wednesday.

Bond was set at $250,000 Wednesday for Robert Beck, 48, of 26W180 Embden Lane, who is charged with felony theft over $1,000,000, a Class X felony, in connection with the thefts. If convicted, he could face up to 30 years in prison, according to a DuPage County State’s Attorney’s Office press release.

Between July 2011 and January 2015, Beck is accused of bilking the trusts for the estates of four deceased individuals, who were former clients, and also stealing from at least three current clients. In total, he stole $1 million.

He used the money for personal and business purposes, prosecutors said.

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Beck would then steal from another’s clients trust to pay back the estate of a previous victim, according to the news release. He allegedly shifted $1.26 million in money between the trusts “using one to pay the heirs of another to cover up the thefts,” according to the news release.

A bank investigator, who was suspicious of Beck, contacted Will County authorities who in turn contacted the DuPage County State’s Attorney’s Office.

“The alleged abuse of the trust placed in Mr. Beck by his clients is extremely disheartening,” said DuPage County State’s Attorney Robert Berlin “What I find particularly disturbing about this case is that Mr. Beck allegedly stole from the heirs of his deceased clients.