A Skokie resident’s battle with Citibank over a substantial unauthorized withdrawal from a trust account earmarked for his sister’s Alzheimer’s care has come to light. Scott Jacobson discovered a $120,000 deficit in the account, initially containing $150,000, after three unauthorized wire transfers were made to Bangkok, Thailand.

Jacobson reported the theft to Citibank and filed three fraud affidavits. Despite his efforts to recover the funds, Citibank has denied his reimbursement request. The bank maintains that it had notified Jacobson of the transactions via text and email, a claim he disputes. Furthermore, Citibank stated that the demand for repayment was made after their 60-day deadline for keeping transaction records, during which time the communications were erased by a third-party vendor.

The case gained attention when NBC Chicago highlighted the severe implications it had on the care plans for Jacobson’s sister. The funds in question were part of a trust endowed by their mother specifically for medical expenses related to Alzheimer’s disease.

As of now, Citibank has recommended that Jacobson seek legal recourse. The situation underscores the challenges account holders face when dealing with unauthorized transactions and the importance of timely reporting and response by banking institutions.