Berwyn woman charged with stealing $250,000 from state treasurer’s unclaimed property

A Berwyn woman faces 15 felony charges in connection with nearly $250,000 stolen from Illinois Treasurer Michael Frerichs’ office. Maria Michaud, 37, is accused of using four other people’s names to make claims for $247,760.29 from the treasurer’s office’s in 2019 and 2020. The program returns lost money and property to qualifying residents. “Anyone who fraudulently claims property through the program is not only defrauding the state of Illinois. They are stealing from real people who have a right to that property and who may need the financial relief that...