A Morton Grove man is accused of stealing money from his 84-year-old aunt who has dementia, money police said he used for gambling and other personal expenses over a 10-month period.
Jun Dimayuga, 54, of the 8300 block of Callie Avenue, was the primary caretaker for his aunt for six years before he started withdrawing money out of her bank accounts in December 2015, according to police. He allegedly obtained more than $100,000 through multiple bank transfers and withdrawals before he was caught and charged with felony financial exploitation of the elderly on Oct. 19.
Police said Dimayuga had power of attorney for his aunt, and lived in the same home with her. He allegedly took her to Chase bank and Bank of America branches on several occasions to have her transfer money to a separate account she had with BMO Harris bank. He would then write himself checks from that account ranging from $500 to $4,000, police said.
Officials at BMO Harris started an investigation in March after Dimayuga allegedly tried on one occasion to get his aunt’s signature granting permission to liquidate her $800,000 investment account. Following that incident, her accounts were frozen pending an investigation, according to police.
That same month, Dimayuga allegedly admitted to an investigator from social service agency Metropolitan Family Services to gambling most of the money away, according to police. A police report also stated that he fled the home after the conversation with the social service agency worker and hadn’t been heard from by his family since. Morton Grove police issued a warrant for his arrest.
Dimayuga was taken into custody by Chicago police Oct. 17 during the course of a routine traffic stop, after officers were alerted about the outstanding warrant.
During an Oct. 18 interview with Morton Grove police, he admitted to writing more than 100 checks to himself from his aunt’s accounts and said he used the money to pay for groceries, bills, school tuition, caregiver costs and gambling, police said.
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A Cook County judge ordered him held on $50,000 bail on Oct. 22. Dimayuga is scheduled to appear in court Nov. 9 at the Skokie Courthouse.
Natalie Hayes is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.