Glendale Heights woman sentenced to 10 years for financial crimes

WHEATON, Ill. - A Glendale Heights woman has been sentenced to 10 years in the Illinois Department of Corrections for stealing nearly $300,000 through identity theft schemes, financial exploitation of the elderly, and fraudulent SBA Payment Protection Loans.

Prosecutors say 37-year-old Destiney Baker, who was a Certified Nursing Assistant, met her victims through a staffing agency and, from 2016 to February 2019, stole banking information from over two dozen victims. She then used the money for personal expenses, including airline tickets to Hawaii, private school tuition for her children, and veterinary services for her dog.

Despite previous bonds, she continued her criminal activities, including illegally obtaining more than $80,000 in loans from the SBA Payment Protection Program in 2022.

Destiney Baker

"Ms. Baker’s greed knew no bounds and her heartless theft from her elderly victims as well as the federal government fed that greed," DuPage County State's Attorney Robert Berlin said.

"The systemic theft of hundreds of thousands of dollars from elderly individuals who relied on her and trusted her and the theft of more than $80,000 intended to help businesses stay afloat during the pandemic is despicable. She caused immeasurable hardship for her victims and for that she will now spend a significant amount of time behind bars."

In addition to her 10-year prison sentence, the court ordered Baker to pay $294,706.78 in restitution.