3 Colombian migrants charged with scamming woman out of more than $20K at suburban grocery store

CHICAGO - Three Colombian migrants have been charged with stealing more than $20,000 from a woman in suburban Addison last week. 

Prosecutors say Miguel Pena-Gomez, 43, Liliana Nagles-Cuesta, 49 and Angela Posada-Acosta, 45, scammed a woman outside the Caputo’s Fresh Market located at 510 W. Lake Street on Nov. 7. 

Pena-Gomez allegedly approached a woman asking her for help claiming that he had a winning lottery ticket worth $6 million and he needed money to collect the winnings. 

While he was speaking with the victim, Nagles-Cuesta went up to them and asked if they needed help and that she spoke Spanish. 

Prosecutors say Nagles-Cuesta then pretended to contact lottery authorities to see how much money was necessary to collect the winnings, which she then told the victim was $30,000. 

The victim told the two that she did not have $30,000. That's when Nagles-Cuesta offered to get money from her account to help. Nagles-Cuesta left saying she was going to the bank. 

Pena-Gomez and the victim drove to the victim’s bank where the victim withdrew $20,143 and then drove back to Caputo’s. 

Prosecutors say Nagles-Cuesta then left the victim and Pena-Gomez again and told them she was going back to her bank to withdraw more money. 

A short time later, Pena-Gomez allegedly told the victim that he was not feeling well and asked her to go into the store to get him some medicine.

When the victim went into the store she left the money in the glove compartment of her car. When she returned, Pena-Gomez took the money and fled.

Prosecutors say Nagles-Cuesta never returned. 

Posada-Acosta supposedly acted as a lookout during the encounter. The three suspects were arrested in Crystal Lake on Nov. 16. 

Each of them were charged with one count of theft by deception of $5,000 or more from someone over 60 years old. 

Their next court appearance was scheduled for Dec. 11.