If things didn’t seem like they could get much worse for “con man” David Hernandez, they just did.
After being accused of running a Ponzi scheme that duped more than 100 investors out of $12 million, after running from the police, and after a failed suicide attempt, Hernandez’ wife is bringing more bad news to the accused criminal. Gina Hernandez may be serving up divorce papers to him soon and, unlike her husband, she isn't trying to fool anyone.
According to WBBM Radio, nothing has been filed yet, but Tim Martin, the attorney for Gina Hernandez, insinuated she is considering the possible option.
"I would expect that,” Martin said. “That has not been done yet, but I would certainly say that that's in the foreseeable future.”
Hernandez, a former web radio executive of “Chicago Sports Webio,” is currently under police guard in a downstate hospital recovering from an apparent suicide attempt.
In a civil lawsuit filed by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, Hernandez was accused of promising investors in Next Step Financial Services Inc. returns of 10 percent to 16 percent. Instead he paid them with money coming in from new investors and made them believe their funds were being invested properly and safely. He is facing federal charges.
According to Merri Jo Gillete, director of the SEC’s Chicago regional office, Hernandez was using the money at his pleasure for things such as cars, jewelry, a piano, paying off his mortgage and helping to launch “Chicago Sports Webio”.
WBBM says the lawyer described Gina as “totally shocked” when she heard the accusations against her husband.
Gina discovered she was Hernandez' third wife after federal authorities revealed David Hernandez' alleged scheme on June 14, CBS 2 reported.
Gina is also named in the civil suit filed against her husband. Unbeknown to her, David forged her signature to create a trust in her name and took out second and third mortgages on the home she owned to use the money to start his chicanery. All the while, Gina believed he was a dependable husband and great step-father to her children.
Unlike David though, Gina is not running from the police, but rather cooperating with the government.
Normal, Ill. Police Sergeant Paul Smith believes Hernandez will serve his time behind bars at some point.
This isn’t the first time Hernandez has found himself in trouble with the law. In 1998 he was convicted of wire fraud.
"It's a bizarre situation where this guy is an extremely clever con artist and he's duped a lot of people, from Mike North to Chet Coppock to Gina Hernandez," Martin said.
Gina and David Hernandez married in Feb. 2001. Only time will tell if there will be a divorce date.
