Utica man, Ottawa woman charged in money-laundering scheme

Two people were charged with money laundering Friday after a lengthy financial investigation by La Salle County authorities.

James P. McCabe, 60, of Utica, and Regina L. Anderson, 54, of Ottawa, both were charged in La Salle County Circuit Court with money laundering and theft.

McCabe’s charges are both Class 1 felonies carrying possible prison sentences of four to 15 years. Anderson is charged with Class 2 felonies carrying three to seven years.

Details still are emerging, but records unsealed Friday show that McCabe, over a seven-year span, “knowingly exerted unauthorized control” over unspecified property valued at more than $100,000 of a named individual. The dates of the illegal conduct, prosecutors said, spanned from Jan. 16, 2017, through May 3, 2024.

Records unsealed in Anderson’s case show a shorter duration (Oct. 13, 2021 through Oct. 13, 2023) and allege that she, too, “knowingly exerted unauthorized control” over property valued at less than $100,000 but more than $10,000 from the same person named in McCabe’s charges. Anderson also is alleged to have drawn checks from the victim’s accounts and listed McCabe as the payee.

Shortly after the records were unsealed, the Ottawa Police Department issued a news release saying that the investigation was launched Oct. 14, when police received a report that a former employee of Illinois Farm Business Farm Management “was believed to have misappropriated client funds.”

McCabe and Anderson were taken into custody Thursday. On Friday, Circuit Judge Michelle A. Vescogni granted their release with conditions. Neither McCabe nor Anderson has a criminal history, and the new charges are nonviolent offenses.

Both were ordered to return to court June 20 for an appearance with counsel and arraignment. McCabe is represented by Ottawa defense attorney Darrell Seigler. Anderson advised the judge that she is seeking private counsel.

The La Salle County State’s Attorney’s Office declined to comment beyond the now-unsealed documents. Attorneys are barred from commenting on pending cases under Illinois Supreme Court rules, and prosecutors said the investigation is ongoing.

Ottawa police encouraged other potential victims to contact them.

“Any person who was a client of James McCabe is encouraged to review their financial records and contact Detective Landeros with the Ottawa Police Department if there are any discrepancies found,” police said in the release.

McCabe is self-employed in farm services, according to a listing on RocketReach, a business-to-business contact database.

McCabe had been a longtime member of the Utica Public Library board of trustees and the Waltham Elementary School board. La Salle County prosecutors said McCabe’s charges are in no way connected to either entity.

Utica police assisted Ottawa police and the La Salle County State’s Attorney’s Office in the investigation.

A request for comment from the victim, relayed by the state’s attorney’s office, was not immediately returned. The Ottawa office of the Illinois Farm Business Farm Management was closed and darkened Friday, and a message left with the Urbana office was not immediately returned.