A Burbank man who posed as a taxi or rideshare driver to lure female passengers arriving at O’Hare International Airport and then forced them to withdraw cash to pay exorbitant fares has been given a six-year prison sentence, court records show.
Tamer Refaie, 34, pleaded guilty to three counts of robbery and one count of kidnapping to resolve charges filed in late 2024 following a lengthy investigation by Chicago police.
Prosecutors said Refaie’s scheme played out in the summer and fall of 2024, targeting women arriving alone, usually at O’Hare’s Terminal 5, which primarily serves international flights.
In one incident, a woman said Refaie approached her on September 14, 2024, presenting himself as a car service. He offered her a ride to a hotel in the far north suburbs in exchange for a credit card payment, but once the car was moving, he told her he only accepted cash, prosecutors said. He then allegedly demanded $1,400, refused to let her out of the vehicle, drove her to an ATM, and made threats until she complied. She ultimately paid and he took her to her destination.
In a separate incident, a 49-year-old woman from Champaign County arrived at O’Hare on July 28, 2024, and accepted what she believed was a legitimate ride from Refaie. According to a detention filing, he drove “very fast and recklessly” on the expressway, and when she complained about his speed, he offered to drop her off on the highway.
He later drove her to an ATM in the 5600 block of South Archer, where he allegedly watched over her shoulder as she withdrew money. Prosecutors said he demanded $500 plus a $40 tip. She was eventually dropped off at Midway Airport, where she paid him $500 before leaving the vehicle.
Refaie was also charged in connection with a third woman allegedly targeted in a similar scheme during the same period.
Judge Stanley Sacks sentenced him to six years each on two robbery counts, four years on the third robbery count, and five years on the kidnapping charge, all to be served concurrently. With the state’s standard 50% sentence reduction and credit for 671 days already spent in custody, Refaie is expected to be released next April.
