Additional charges filed in Craigslist rental scam

DES PLAINES, Ill. (WLS) -- A man accused of running an elaborate property scam faces several more felony charges Wednesday.

The charges are a reminder to all apartment shoppers: know who you're paying.

Des Plaines police originally arrested and charged a 31-year-old north suburban man with four counts of felony theft, saying he stole deposit money from tenants.

According to Des Plaines police and Cook County prosecutors, a grand jury this week added more charges to the list, indicting Stamatios Shinas with five more counts of felony theft by deception, four counts of felony forgery, two counts of felony identity theft and two counts of felony computer fraud.

Shinas now faces a total of 18 felony counts.

Last month, the Des Plaines police chief and investigators exclusively told the I-Team that they found several apartment listings posted by Shinas on Craigslist in May.

Police said at least four people responded to those ads and were scammed out of their so-called deposit money for units that Shinas had no authority to rent out.

Customers said when they went to move in, the apartment was either occupied or keys they were given didn't work.

Shinas is due in a Skokie courtroom Thursday and a Bridgeview courtroom on Friday for status hearings.

He'll be arraigned on the new felony charges on Nov. 10.

The ABC 7 I-team was unable to reach Shinas for comment.