Chicago Man Charged in Alleged $3,000 Charity Scam in Algonquin

Authorities accuse man of overcharging women’s debit cards in fraudulent fundraiser scheme

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ALGONQUIN, IL — A Chicago man faces charges of theft by deception after allegedly defrauding two women of nearly $3,000 in a charity scam in Algonquin, according to McHenry County court records.

Armarion J. McNeal, 25, has been charged with two counts of theft by deception over $500, a Class 3 felony, for incidents that occurred in May. Authorities allege McNeal convinced the victims to make small donations intended to support underprivileged children, but he later overcharged their debit cards by significant amounts.

Court records state that on May 10, McNeal allegedly solicited a woman for a donation to a college fund for underprivileged youth. The woman offered $20, but McNeal reportedly charged $1,700 to her debit card—$1,680 more than the agreed amount.

A similar incident occurred on May 17, according to the criminal complaint. McNeal allegedly approached a second woman with the same fundraising pitch. The victim offered a $10 donation, but McNeal is accused of charging her debit card $1,000—$990 more than she intended to give.

The allegations come amid broader warnings from police earlier this year about individuals posing as fundraisers in McHenry County. Authorities have noted that suspects often target people in retail areas, claiming they only accept debit card payments while falsely stating cash and credit cards are not allowed. Victims are then overcharged, with the fraudulent transactions going unnoticed until later.

McNeal was arrested earlier this week but was released from McHenry County Jail after a judge denied a petition to detain him before trial. McHenry County Judge Jeffrey Hirsch placed McNeal on electronic monitoring and imposed a curfew.

McNeal’s next court appearance is scheduled for October 31.