Hernandez's wife was conned too
Alleged scammer's spouse stunned by charges, lawyer says
June 24, 2009
BY MARK J. KONKOL Staff Reporter

Blindsided that her accused Ponzi-scheming husband was living a "double life," Gina Hernandez is now so distraught she refuses to go to the grocery store, her lawyer says.

Her husband David Hernandez -- wanted on charges he stole nearly $12 million from 100 investors in 12 states -- was captured by federal authorities Monday in a Downstate Normal hotel room where he apparently tried to commit suicide.

Gina Hernandez declined to be interviewed because she "can't handle this," according to her attorney, Tim Martin.

But Martin provided details of what his client's life was like last week -- a harsh reality check for a first-grade teacher at Grant-White School in Forest Park who thought she was married to a solid man who was a great stepfather to her kids.

Since June 14, when federal authorities lifted the veil on David Hernandez's alleged scheme, Gina Hernandez has found out things she didn't know about her husband, including that she was wife No. 3.

Gina Hernandez also discovered her husband forged her signature to create a trust in her name, take out second and third mortgages on the home she owned and used the seed money for the start of his scheme, Martin said.

While on the run from the FBI, David Hernandez called his wife twice and sent her a letter -- postmarked from Bolingbrook -- that begged forgiveness and said he "destroyed everything" and "will not be alive much longer," Martin said.

Gina Hernandez, who is cooperating with federal authorities, has been told she is not a target of their investigation, Martin said.

Another letter from David Hernandez to his wife arrived at their Downers Grove home Tuesday. It read like a sworn affidavit, but was not notarized, claiming Gina Hernandez was not involved with or told the truth about any of his activities.

Martin declined to provide the Sun-Times a copy because it may be used as evidence by the FBI.

Gina Hernandez, however, was the connection between her husband and former Chicago emergency management chief, Cortez Trotter, a management consultant to NextStep Medical Staffing --which controlled ChicagoSportsWebio.com, the now-defunct Internet-based sports-talk radio station David Hernandez created with sports-talk host Mike North.

Gina Hernandez works for Trotter's wife, Grant-White School principal Wendy Trotter. Their husbands met at a Christmas party.

Hernandez paid Trotter's company, Trotter Consulting Group LLC, $150,000 for its services, according to court papers.

Trotter told the Chicago Sun-Times he wants to give that money back once authorities create a receivership to accept the cash.

"We have been advised by the FBI that some of the funds for services rendered were received by Hernandez illegally," Trotter said. "In the event my company is instructed to return the funds, we will comply, as it is the morally correct thing to do."

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http://www.benkowski.com/

Wonder if the North's got a letter saying they had nothing to do with it as well? Guessing NOT

What if Hernandez makes one simple statement that Mike was in on everything with him. Lieing or not, the evidence combined with one statement could really bring North down. Looks like Hernandez will do or say anything he needs to in order to survive. I don't think this can be ruled out.

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"That's what the internet is for. Slandering others anonymously." Banky
“Been that way since one monkey looked at the sun and told the other monkey ‘He said for you to give me your fuckin’ share.’”

I don't want North in the Federal Pen with Johnny "Quarters" Boyle....I want North running a hot dog stand with Chet Coppock....capitalists that they are.

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There goes one over the fence..Tru Link Fence..Beauty, Privacy Security....Call Tru Link.
Murph's Union 76 Truck Stop....A great Thanksgiving Tradition!!!!

WOO LIFE!!!!

This my favorite part of the article

"ChicagoSportsWebio.com, the now-defunct Internet-based sports-talk radio station "

I call bullshit ... she's a part of this just the same as many of the other so-called 'victims' - the minute I heard her reporting DH missing, it just smelled like a pile from that moment.

Maybe I'll be surprised to find out somebody claiming to be duped does in fact now turn out to be telling the truth, but I'll not be holding my breath.

If anything, she's setting the seeds to flip on him to (in her mind) save her own bacon.

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Power is always in the hands of the masses of men. What oppresses the masses is their own ignorance, their own short-sighted selfishness.
- Henry George

Did someone post here in the last day or so that besides serving time for fraud, Hernandez also kidnapped her kids -- took off with them for a day or so?

I could have sworn I read that, but with so much stuff posted lately maybe I misread it or something.

Tad Queasy - I think the kidnapping part was in the Sunday Sun-Times. Something about him heading for the Mexico border & he had the kids call home to say "Adios Mommy" - but then the cops caught him in Arizona.

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Hirsute.

I believe that was with his kids from one of his previous marriages. Sometime in the mid to late 90s.

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Drummin Don drums for nobody... fired by my band in the western suburbs. Anybody need a drummer?

I wonder if all of the webio crew, including the Norths, plan on being so morally correct.

There may be a lot of new hd tvs and other toys being returned or foreclosed on soon.

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Drummin Don drums for nobody... fired by my band in the western suburbs. Anybody need a drummer?

I wonder if Jesse has offered to return any of the money he receied while having the best 3 months of his life?

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hahahahahahahahaha

north will fight tooth and nail to keep every penny hernandez gave him.

"I'ze didn't do nothin wrong, sose they can't take back money I'ze earned, and bee earned her money too"

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Frank Coztansa wrote:
Please die in a fire.