Crystal Lake lawyer gets 9 years for embezzling $1.2M, including money meant for sick children

WOODSTOCK – According to prosecutors, there were two kinds of people whom attorney Curt Rehberg embezzled money from.

"He stole from sick children and blue-collar workers," Assistant State's Attorney Robert Zalud said at a sentencing hearing for Rehberg.

Rehberg, 50, was sentenced to nine years behind bars for embezzling more than $1.2 million from his clients. Rehberg, who practiced in Crystal Lake, was hired as the executor of several trust fund accounts but never distributed the cash to beneficiaries.

In one instance, $524,836.94 was destined for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, but never made it. In another, $64,126.39 was supposed to pay for an ill woman's medical treatment. All of the money was overseen by Rehberg, but none of it made it to its rightful owners.

Instead, Rehberg pilfered from the trust account, once writing a $10,000 check to his daughter's out-of-state college, prosecutors said.

"What Curt Rehberg did was rob these people," Zalud said. "… He robbed them after they were dead."

"A sophisticated grave robber is still a grave robber."

McHenry County Judge Sharon Prather sentenced Rehberg to nine years behind bars, and ordered him to pay restitution to the victims.

"The court finds this sentencing very difficult. Very difficult for a lot of reasons. …. His actions are a reflection on everyone who works in the legal profession," Prather said.

"Actions like Mr. Rehberg's are a disgrace and dishonor to the system."

Rehberg previously pleaded guilty to three counts of theft, and could have been sentenced to between four and 15 years in prison. He was not eligible for probation.

Rehberg's defense attorney, Hank Sugden, asked for the minimum sentence. Sugden said Rehberg's crime was not that of greed, but rather his client got in over his head and hoped to repay the money he stole from the account.

"If he could pay these people back yesterday, he would have done so," Sugden said.
Rehberg was apologetic and directed comments directly at his victims, two of which – Dave Hanson and Martin Ochwat – have appeared at every court appearance since Rehberg was charged in September 2013. Rehberg called his crimes "disgraceful" and "dishonest."

"I didn't intend to hurt you," Rehberg said, facing his victims. "… I lied, I hid out, I drank and I hoped for some miracle, and that miracle never happened."

Hanson and Ochwat were each awarded civil judgments, and now are appealing to the Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission for restitution.

Rehberg will receive credit for time served in McHenry County Jail since June, when his bond was voluntarily revoked. He is eligible for day-for-day credit.

Admitted to the Illinois State Bar Association in 1989, Rehberg's law license has been suspended as his criminal case was pending, according to the ARDC. He faces possible disbarment.

He was censured in 2003 for neglecting a civil matter and misrepresenting the status of the matter to his client. A censure means the court found that he engaged in misconduct, but was allowed to continue to practice law.