CHICAGO — This is an official press release from the U.S. Department of Justice (Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)), published as received.

CHICAGO — A Chicago real estate broker has been sentenced to more than four years in federal prison for orchestrating a fraud scheme that bilked at least four investors out of more than $3 million.

STANISLAV SANNIKOV, also known as “Steve Sannikov,” owned and operated Chestnut Realty Group, a real estate company in Chicago.  From 2016 to 2020, Sannikov fraudulently claimed to investors that certain properties were for sale and that he could negotiate the purchase on their behalf.  Sannikov further claimed that the properties could be re-sold or leased for a substantial profit.  In reality, Sannikov knew that the properties were not available for sale or lease. Sannikov induced the victim investors to deposit earnest money into what he told them was an escrow account maintained by Chestnut Realty.  In fact, Sannikov knew that Chestnut Realty was not licensed to act as an escrow agent and that the account was actually a checking account controlled by Sannikov.

Sannikov withdrew the investor funds and spent the money on his own lavish lifestyle.  One victim, who is now in his 70s, had to put off retirement so that he could pay off his losses.

Sannikov, 42, of Chicago, pleaded guilty last year to a federal wire fraud charge.  On Friday, U.S. District Joan Humphrey Lefkow ordered Sannikov to pay $2.19 million in remaining restitution to four victims.  Judge Lefkow in February sentenced Sannikov to four years and two months in prison.

The sentence was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Douglas S. DePodesta, Special Agent-in-Charge of the FBI Chicago Field Office.  

“This was not a one-time lapse in judgment,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Sheri H. Mecklenburg argued in the government’s sentencing memorandum. “Defendant, over the course of at least four years, designed and engaged in a calculated, sustained, multi-faceted scheme to defraud multiple individuals.”