FBI Says Lombard Man Tried to Hire Hitman to Get Out of $8 Million Judgment

A Lombard man who lost a civil suit and was ordered to pay $8.2 million to another corporate entity, was arrested July 5 for attempting to arrange the murder of the plaintiff in that case, according to a release from the Chicago FBI.

Daniel Dvorkin, 74, of 1636 South Highland Ave., was arrested Thursday at his real estate development firm, Dan Development Inc., 1 Trans Am Plaza, Oakbrook Terrace.

According to the complaint, Dvorkin met a cooperating witness in April at his office and provided the person a copy of a court order reflecting that he and his company had been ordered to pay an $8.2 million civil judgment to another company. Dvorkin said if the man was dead, he wouldn't have to pay the judgment. He told the witness he wanted the intended victim to “stop breathing,” according to the FBI. Dvorkin explained that he had $100,000 to pay for the murder and gave the cooperating witness additional documents that identified the intended victim.

After this meeting, the witness alerted the Oakbrook Terrace Police Department and the FBI, and agreed to record conversations with Dvorkin. According to the Daily Herald, Dvorkin told the witness he would pay $50,000 up front and $50,000 when the victim was dead. He later told the witness that he had found a cheaper offer. The intended victim is in Texas.

Dvorkin appeared Thursday before U.S. Magistrate Judge Young Kim in Chicago, where he was ordered held without bond at the Metropolitan Correctional Center in Chicago. His next court appearance is scheduled for 3 p.m. Friday, July 6.

Dvorkin was charged with one count of solicitation to commit murder; he faces up to five years in prison if convicted.