Oct 3, 2008 9:51 pm US/Central
Organ Transplant Patient Charged With Embezzlement
NAPERVILLE, Ill. (Naperville Sun) ―
An area man who underwent a successful kidney-pancreas transplant operation six years ago has been charged with embezzling nearly $500,000 from the Naperville car dealership where he worked.
Mark R. Havens, 37, faces trial in DuPage County Circuit Court in Wheaton on a felony charge of theft. He is accused of stealing more than $400,000 over a four-year period from Continental Audi, 1527 W. Aurora Ave., while working as the dealership's parts manager.
Havens' last known address was 23655 Deer Chase Lane in unincorporated Will County. That is in the Whispering Lakes area near Naperville's far southwest side.
Naperville police Cmdr. Dave Hoffman confirmed Havens was indicted Thursday by a DuPage County grand jury.
Havens is accused of "creating fraudulent credit memos and then crediting his personal credit card account, intending to deprive" the dealership of income, Hoffman said. The reputed scheme lasted from Feb. 11, 2003 until June 5, 2007, he said.
The alleged embezzling began little more than four months after Havens underwent organ transplant surgery at Northwestern University Hospital in Chicago.
Havens was the subject of an April 2003 profile in the Naperville Sun. That story documented his struggle with diabetes, from which he had suffered since the age of three.
His condition worsened as he reached adulthood. He began experiencing behavioral and vision problems and eventually underwent laser surgery on both eyes.
Doctors later suggested Havens undergo a kidney-pancreas transplant operation. He was placed on an organ recipient waiting list in February 2002 and a compatible transplant pancreas and kidney were found seven months later, enabling him to have the operation that Sept. 22.
Havens later began volunteering to speak to others who were in need of or about to undergo organ transplants.
He also once served on the board of Organ Transplant Support. The 28-year-old, Naperville-based organization provides comfort and educational opportunities for those who have had or are awaiting organ transplants, as well as family members and medical professionals.
The motive for the reputed embezzlement was not known Friday, although Hoffman said "much of the proceeds (allegedly) went for home improvement projects" at Havens' house.
A warrant for Havens' arrest was issued last month, and he surrendered Sept. 15 to police. Hoffman said Havens' bond was set at $100,000, and he was freed after posting $10,000 bail, the mandatory 10 percent of that bond.
A telephone company recording heard late Friday afternoon indicated the phone at Havens' home in Whispering Lakes was disconnected.
Havens is scheduled to appear Oct. 21 in court. He faces a sentence of four to fifteen years in prison if convicted in the case.
By Bill Bird / Naperville Sun
(CBS 2, the Naperville Sun and the Aurora Beacon-News are news partners covering stories in the western suburbs. Send story tips to tips@cbs2chicago.com. (© MMVIII, CBS Broadcasting, Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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