Chicago contractor to plead guilty after allegedly targeting elderly homeowners: attorneys

Chicago contractor to plead guilty in remodeling scheme: attorneys
Chicago contractor Mark Diamond is expected to plead guilty in an alleged scam targeting elderly homeowners, his attorneys said.
ByABC7 Chicago Digital Team WLS logo
Friday, April 5, 2024

CHICAGO (WLS) -- A man accused of preying on elderly homeowners on Chicago's South and West sides is expected to make a plea deal.

Prosecutors said Mark Diamond violated terms of his bond when he scammed more senior citizens out of hundreds of thousands of dollars in a home repair and loan fraud scheme.

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He has been behind bars awaiting trial.

Now, Diamond's attorneys have told the judge that he'll plead guilty.

A hearing is set for next month.

Two of Diamond's co-defendants already pleaded guilty.

Diamond, a Chicago contractor, left homes in much worse condition than he promised, victims said.

"I knew the day was coming," said the Rev. Robin Hood, director of the Illinois Anti-Foreclosure Coalition. "A predator don't know anything else besides being a predator... Mark Diamond was the perfect predator of senior citizens."

Hood has close ties to this case, as his late aunt was a victim of Diamond's alleged home repair scam.

The family paid him more than $100,000 to fix their home. Now, years later, it still looks the same.

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