A 33-year-old Chicago man appeared Wednesday in Clark County Superior Court to face allegations that he used a Vancouver man’s identity in an attempt to steal retirement funds.
A Vancouver police officer served an arrest warrant Tuesday on Oluwatoyosi Josiah Adebayo, court records say. Adebayo was arrested on suspicion of first-degree attempted theft, three counts of second-degree identity theft and forgery.
Judge David Gregerson set Adebayo’s bail at $20,000. Gregerson ordered that Adebayo will not be released until he signs a waiver of extradition and posts bail.
Court records say the judge granted the defense attorney’s request to continue with arraignment Wednesday, and Adebayo reportedly pleaded not guilty to the charges.
According to a probable cause affidavit, Adebayo used a forged Wisconsin identification card with the name Daniel Paul Tonkovich to open a bank account in Bolingbrook, Ill., a southwest suburb of Chicago. Tonkovich is a former Vancouver city councilor who served in the position for 16 years.
“Shortly after the bank account was opened, Adebayo attempted to transfer $180,000 from Tonkovich’s 401(k) retirement account into the newly created (account),” the affidavit says.
Tonkovich was made aware of the activity once the transfer paperwork was submitted to the retirement fund company, according to the affidavit.
The paperwork included all of Tonkovich’s personal information and a forged signature. It also included a forged or copied notary stamp from a Clark County employee who told police no one had her permission to use her stamp, according to the affidavit.
Detectives later received and reviewed video surveillance of Adebayo at the Illinois bank. They identified him through witnesses and his ID, court records say.
A trial readiness hearing in the case is scheduled for Oct. 29.
