Rockford Financial Planner Charles 'Chuck' Hansen Sentenced to 3 Years for Moving Retirees Out of Safe Annuities Into Failing Real Estate Firms

Case from 2017–2018 (U.S. Attorney's Office latest release: May 2, 2018). Published on Scammers.com Oct. 16, 2026; case status is current as of that date.

Charles R. "Chuck" Hansen, a Rockford, Illinois, financial planner, was sentenced on May 2, 2018, to three years in federal prison for defrauding investors of more than $700,000, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Illinois announced [1]. He was ordered to pay $739,705 in restitution.

How the scheme worked

According to Hansen's written plea agreement, as described by prosecutors [1] [2]:

1. Trusted adviser: Between 1996 and 2014, Hansen ran financial planning and real estate companies, including Senior Securities of Rockford LLC and Chicago Wealth Partners LLC, and sold fixed annuities to retirement-age investors.
2. The switch: Starting in 2008, he encouraged some of those clients to move money from secure fixed annuities into his two companies, which he described as real estate firms offering higher returns. The money was used to rehab and sell homes in the Rockford and Chicago areas.
3. Hidden risk: He did not explain the risk and told investors their money would remain secure, using promissory notes that promised high returns.
4. Renewals while failing: He persuaded investors to renew their notes without disclosing that the companies were failing and couldn't repay them.

Investors put in about $842,150 and got back only $109,792, a loss of about $732,257.

The person sentenced

Charles R. "Chuck" Hansen, 63 at sentencing, of Rockford, Ill. [1]

• Plea (Sept. 12, 2017): pleaded guilty to mail fraud [2].
• Sentence (May 2, 2018): three years in prison, two years of supervised release and $739,705 in restitution, imposed by U.S. District Judge Frederick J. Kapala.
• Investigation: U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the Illinois Securities Department.

Red flags

• An adviser urging you to leave a guaranteed annuity for his own company's notes.
• Promissory notes with high fixed rates issued by the adviser's affiliated business.
• Requests to "roll over" a note instead of paying you back when it matures.

What to do if you're targeted

1. Ask whether the adviser has a personal stake in any investment he recommends, and get the answer in writing.
2. Check the adviser and the offering with the Illinois Securities Department or your state regulator.
3. Before renewing a note, request current financial statements for the company that owes you money.

Case status (as of Oct. 16, 2026)

Defendant	Court	Status as of Oct. 16, 2026	Source
Charles R. "Chuck" Hansen, Rockford, Ill.	N.D. Ill., Western Division (Judge Kapala)	Pleaded guilty Sept. 12, 2017; sentenced May 2, 2018, to 36 months; $739,705 restitution	[1], [2]

The sentence was imposed in 2018; we have not found a source on any later proceedings.

Sources

1. U.S. Attorney's Office, Northern District of Illinois, "Rockford Man Sentenced to Three Years in Federal Prison for Mail Fraud," May 2, 2018. https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndil/pr/rockford-man-sentenced-three-years-federal-prison-mail-fraud
2. U.S. Attorney's Office, Northern District of Illinois, "Rockford Man Pleads Guilty to Mail Fraud," Sept. 12, 2017. https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndil/pr/rockford-man-pleads-guilty-mail-fraud

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