Police: Wilmette Store Manger Admits Stealing $42K from Business

A Waukegan man admitted to stealing over $42,000 during his time as a manger of a Wilmette business by diverting customer credit card payments into a personal bank account, police reported.

Ethan J. Hong, 24, of the 500 block of Washington Street, was charged with felony theft after Wilmette police arrested him Wednesday.

The owner or a Wilmette business located in the 1400 block of Lake Avenue called police Wednesday to report a possible employee theft. The owner told police he had discovered that Hong had been diverting money from business sales into a personal account since January.

Police said Hong later admitted to making over 30 separate thefts from the business. Hong reportedly said he would swipe customers’ credit cards through his personal Square credit card reader, attached to his Apple iPhone, instead of using the business’s credit card machine.

Police reported that Wilmette detectives are currently contacting customers to notify them of the theft and determine whether other crimes may have been committed.

Hong is scheduled to appear in Cook County Circuit Court in Skokie on Nov. 6 at 1:30 p.m.

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