'He should be in jail': Victims of accused scammer Rick Dugo tell their stories as he goes to court
CHICAGO (CBS) -- A northwest suburban man is in a Lake County court at this hour.
He's facing the first of four trials where he's accused of conning his friends out of nearly a million dollars.
CBS 2 investigator Dorothy Tucker was the first to publicly expose accused scammer Rick Dugo. He's on trial for scams he's accused committing in 2018.
But the CBS 2 investigation revealed Dugo's accusers go back 20 years, and there are dozens of them. CBS 2 Investigator Dorothy Tucker has more information on his day in court.
In a Lake County courtroom, prosecutors began their opening statement by describing Dugo as a thief hiding in plain sight who preyed on his friends and never delivered on promised investments.
But one of Dugo's attorneys said his intentions were good, and that a bad business deal is not a crime.
What makes Dugo's story so compelling is there are four people who will finally getting their day in court, but there are so many more who feel they will never see justice. That's the story beyond the trial we're telling today.
"He was a nice guy. He was personable. We kinda hit it off, you know?"
Jeff Schultz thought he had a lot in common with Rick Dugo.
"We'd have dinners together. Our kids would play together," Schultz said.
So when his new best friend offered him a chance to triple his money buying and selling electronics...
"I thought it was a legit thing."
This father of four "invested" $17,000. He even had Dugo sign a contract promising a return on his money. But when it came time to pay up, Dugo disappeared.
"He's a liar. He's a con artist. He's self-centered, selfish," Schultz said.
It was the spring of 2017 when the flashy new neighbor moved into the close-knit community of St. Andrews in Vernon Hills.
"He talked a lot about car washes and he owned all these car washes," said Michelle Brand. "He had this ginormous speedboat that was like out in front of his house."
CBS 2 visited Dugo's old stomping grounds last December. A neighbor recognized his photo.
"Yes, we were among the several neighbors who invested in, you know, helped him out with some money, and never saw it come back," Brand said.
Dugo not only stiffed his neighbors, he also swindled his landlord. Faraaz Sareshwala said he lost $35,000. He lived in California and rented the Vernon Hills house through a realtor, so he never met Dugo.
"I received an application from Jeffrey Klein."
That was the name on the lease.
"In the application, he's writing that he has a very successful business," Sareshwala said.
It was also the name Sareshwala heard on the phone and in voice messages.
"Later I found out that Jeffrey Klein moved and gave the keys to Rick Dugo," Sareshwala said.
Sareshwala evicted Rick Dugo and his family in May of 2018.
"He left a box of his belongings. I guess he forgot to take them. It's a bunch of pictures of his family and stuff," Sareshwala said, who added that it looked like he lived a double life.
"On the one hand, he internally within those four walls was, like, this family man," Sareshwala said. "But on the outside, he's like this predator."
Dugo's schemes stretched beyond the Chicago suburbs -- to the picturesque Lake of the Ozarks. It's home to Dugo's former friend, Britt Hanson.
"He said something about cell phones. You could buy these cellphones and sell them. (He said) 'if you give me this money, I'll make you a little money," Hanson remembered.
Hanson never made a penny. In fact, he lost $30,000.
"Back then, I was pissed. I work every day for a living. So that was a lot of money," Hanson said.
Hanson, Brand, Sareshwala and Schultz are among those who never saw any of the money they invested with Dugo.
"He should be punished for what he's done to everybody. He should be in jail, in prison, whatever the courts deem necessary for him," said Schultz.
This first trial is expected to last a couple of days, but the second day isn't scheduled until December 30. It's unknown whether the judge will make a decision at that time.
The three other trials will follow, so it could take months to finish all four.
RELATED: Accused scammer Rick Dugo opts for four bench trials after rejecting plea deals.