Berwyn man charged with impersonating Secretary of State employee, stealing thousands

A 47-year-old Berwyn man has been charged with impersonating an Illinois Secretary of State employee and offering government jobs and favors in exchange for cash payments.

Hugo Torres was arrested and charged with a felony count of theft by deception of over $10,000 and theft by deception of over $500, according to the Illinois Attorney General’s Office.

Prosecutors say it’s the third time Torres has engaged such scams. He is on parole after pleading guilty to theft charges in Will County in 2016 and in 2018 in Cook County.

At least four people said Torres approached them claiming to be a supervisor with the Illinois Secretary of State’s office looking to hire employees, the attorney general’s office said.

He typically charged them $400 cash for fake application fees for a job exam, and in some cases claimed he could help them get a driver’s license or help resolve traffic tickets in exchange for a cash payment, prosecutors said.

“I find the actions of this individual reprehensible,” Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White said. “The Secretary of State Police and Attorney General’s office have partnered successfully on this investigation, and I want to thank Attorney General Raoul for his commitment to obtaining justice in this case and for the victims.”

Torres was jailed on $200,000 bail.