Found Deceased IL - Jake Cefolia, 49, jogging, car found, SVP of United Airlines, Chicago, 6 Aug 2020

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Colorado303 said:
I have one of those too. Just a note, remove it from your keychain before flying—TSA will confiscate it. And Amazon doesn’t sell them anymore. Just kits w/molds so you can make one yourself.
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I noticed they quit selling them when I wanted to purchase one for my sister. Found them at a local flea market though. I really like it - small and should be effective :)
 
Frannie said:
Just type on your top line: NBC scene of the crime - and it will pop up.
Click to expand...

Thanks, @Frannie ! I had been wondering if any locals would share details from this episode, but glad it's been made available to those outside of the Chicago area as well.

Scene of the Crime Episode 1: Missing United Executive – full episode at link

SCENE OF THE CRIME APRIL 16, 2021 10:10 PM

Scene of the Crime Episode 1: Missing United Executive

A high-powered Chicago airline executive is acting strangely in the days before his Range Rover is found abandoned near the trails where he trained for marathons. Did he run toward a new life or away from trouble in his old one? Follow the twists and turns in the strange case of Jake Cefolia.
 
I just read through my notes I took while reading this thread last month (4/21).....

I noticed the co-worker that left the note on JC's door (approx. 10/20).... was not responding to crimeonline.com...
I wonder if LE has had more success with contacting this gentleman (JT)...
and if so... if there was any enlightening information gained from this communication?

(I'm just thinking out loud, actually...)
 
Jake, where the H$#L are you?!?!

It’s really none of our business but I hope his kids aren’t out here in the dark with us. I’d like to think they aren’t having to wonder and worry too. While missing their Dad is bad enough, true uncertainty— wondering and worrying— would be even worse.

I hesitated before posting this, knowing there are a bunch of others like me who will see thread activity and check thinking there’s “news” only to be disappointed when they see my newsless post. o_O
 
It’s just so odd that family, co workers, friends are not talking and are not active with social media. If Jake left a suicide note somewhere , or something indicated he took his own life, then usually the police would say there are no new leads etc and imply the investigation is not active. It’s possible his body might eventually be found in the preserve, but I highly doubt it.

I think he went off the grid and I do think he had help from his older relative who lives in Utah I believe. This relative had power of atty for the house that was sold. It wouldn’t surprise me if the relative picked him up on the other side of the preserve and helped him disappear.
IMO
 
Redtail said:
It’s just so odd that family, co workers, friends are not talking and are not active with social media. If Jake left a suicide note somewhere , or something indicated he took his own life, then usually the police would say there are no new leads etc and imply the investigation is not active. It’s possible his body might eventually be found in the preserve, but I highly doubt it.

I think he went off the grid and I do think he had help from his older relative who lives in Utah I believe. This relative had power of atty for the house that was sold. It wouldn’t surprise me if the relative picked him up on the other side of the preserve and helped him disappear.
IMO
Click to expand...
I too think he went off the grid voluntarily. And most likely he’s alive rather than having killed himself. So much so that I’ll feel guilty if he turns up dead.

He spent years learning the ins and outs of international air travel, and probably rubbed shoulders w/more than one high roller with private plane. Also likely he had direct or indirect access to United reservation systems and could have booked a commercial flight for himself under an assumed name and used fake ID. It would have taken some doing but we know he was under investigation for something at the time of his disappearance, a sign he might bend the law if it suited him.

Could he bypass the reservation system altogether by showing up at the gate, flashing his United ID and sauntering down the gateway to freedom? Does anyone here have airline operations experience and could chime in on ways a company executive might get on a plane with no paper trail? Or would that be impossible?

The timing of placing the home in a trust and immediate home sale convinces me his disappearance was a premeditated It’s possible the Executor/Trustee/POA was oblivious to Jake’s plan. Perhaps Jake gave them the explanation because he [pick one: travels to dangerous places/was sick and dying/feared a fatal plane crash, etc] he wants give Uncle Utah full Trustee power so Jake’s kids would be taken care of in the event of his death. As a result of the trust, should he die assets would be immediately available to heirs rather than tied up in probate. And if the Executor’s relationship w/Jake’s ex isn’t good, the desire to make sure the kid’s inheritance can’t be squandered by a greedy ex-wife would seem reason enough to justify the arrangement.

On the other hand, putting all personal assets in a trust executed by a co-conspiring Trustee would be a great way to maintain access to your money without exposing your whereabouts. Numbered bank accounts, mutual funds and new entrepreneurial endeavors all possible, ensuring Jake’s lifestyle can be maintained wherever he is on the planet. AFAIK all perfectly legal. In fact Jake could be living in a house purchased by an LLC formed by the Trust for that specific purpose. As a Realtor I know firsthand there’s no easy way to find the name of LLC owners in publicly available records. At least not in Colorado.

I’m on the fence about the Utah associates involvement. Real Estate sale documents and trust records posted upthread identify the executor, a Utah resident, by name. A later post identified the Executor as Jakes ex-brother-in-law. If he’s the ex-wife’s brother it seems kind of weird for him to be in on the plan without the ex-wife knowing too (though there’s no shortage of “weird” in this case.).


All MOO
 
Question: If someone is placed in witness protection to be safe prior to testifying against someone, but a co-worker unaware of the plan reports them missing to LE and the media, what would that look like?

Would it look a lot like this?
 
Colorado303 said:
I too think he went off the grid voluntarily. And most likely he’s alive rather than having killed himself. So much so that I’ll feel guilty if he turns up dead.

He spent years learning the ins and outs of international air travel, and probably rubbed shoulders w/more than one high roller with private plane. Also likely he had direct or indirect access to United reservation systems and could have booked a commercial flight for himself under an assumed name and used fake ID. It would have taken some doing but we know he was under investigation for something at the time of his disappearance, a sign he might bend the law if it suited him.

Could he bypass the reservation system altogether by showing up at the gate, flashing his United ID and sauntering down the gateway to freedom? Does anyone here have airline operations experience and could chime in on ways a company executive might get on a plane with no paper trail? Or would that be impossible?

The timing of placing the home in a trust and immediate home sale convinces me his disappearance was a premeditated It’s possible the Executor/Trustee/POA was oblivious to Jake’s plan. Perhaps Jake gave them the explanation because he [pick one: travels to dangerous places/was sick and dying/feared a fatal plane crash, etc] he wants give Uncle Utah full Trustee power so Jake’s kids would be taken care of in the event of his death. As a result of the trust, should he die assets would be immediately available to heirs rather than tied up in probate. And if the Executor’s relationship w/Jake’s ex isn’t good, the desire to make sure the kid’s inheritance can’t be squandered by a greedy ex-wife would seem reason enough to justify the arrangement.

On the other hand, putting all personal assets in a trust executed by a co-conspiring Trustee would be a great way to maintain access to your money without exposing your whereabouts. Numbered bank accounts, mutual funds and new entrepreneurial endeavors all possible, ensuring Jake’s lifestyle can be maintained wherever he is on the planet. AFAIK all perfectly legal. In fact Jake could be living in a house purchased by an LLC formed by the Trust for that specific purpose. As a Realtor I know firsthand there’s no easy way to find the name of LLC owners in publicly available records. At least not in Colorado.

I’m on the fence about the Utah associates involvement. Real Estate sale documents and trust records posted upthread identify the executor, a Utah resident, by name. A later post identified the Executor as Jakes ex-brother-in-law. If he’s the ex-wife’s brother it seems kind of weird for him to be in on the plan without the ex-wife knowing too (though there’s no shortage of “weird” in this case.).



At one point, Jake’s LinkedIn page showed a CEO of a private Executive Service jet company. This would be an easy way to escape w/0 paperwork worry, but then there would be a couple of people who would be witnesses.
Very mystifying!
Click to expand...
 
Colorado303 said:
Question: If someone is placed in witness protection to be safe prior to testifying against someone, but a co-worker unaware of the plan reports them missing to LE and the media, what would that look like?

Would it look a lot like this?
Click to expand...

Possibly, but if we're suspicious of the disappearance, imagine how suspicious would be someone who has a lot to lose should Jake testify. If this is WITSEC, they were a bit sloppy about it, MOO.
 
Colorado303 said:
I too think he went off the grid voluntarily. And most likely he’s alive rather than having killed himself. So much so that I’ll feel guilty if he turns up dead.

He spent years learning the ins and outs of international air travel, and probably rubbed shoulders w/more than one high roller with private plane. Also likely he had direct or indirect access to United reservation systems and could have booked a commercial flight for himself under an assumed name and used fake ID. It would have taken some doing but we know he was under investigation for something at the time of his disappearance, a sign he might bend the law if it suited him.

Could he bypass the reservation system altogether by showing up at the gate, flashing his United ID and sauntering down the gateway to freedom? Does anyone here have airline operations experience and could chime in on ways a company executive might get on a plane with no paper trail? Or would that be impossible?

The timing of placing the home in a trust and immediate home sale convinces me his disappearance was a premeditated It’s possible the Executor/Trustee/POA was oblivious to Jake’s plan. Perhaps Jake gave them the explanation because he [pick one: travels to dangerous places/was sick and dying/feared a fatal plane crash, etc] he wants give Uncle Utah full Trustee power so Jake’s kids would be taken care of in the event of his death. As a result of the trust, should he die assets would be immediately available to heirs rather than tied up in probate. And if the Executor’s relationship w/Jake’s ex isn’t good, the desire to make sure the kid’s inheritance can’t be squandered by a greedy ex-wife would seem reason enough to justify the arrangement.

On the other hand, putting all personal assets in a trust executed by a co-conspiring Trustee would be a great way to maintain access to your money without exposing your whereabouts. Numbered bank accounts, mutual funds and new entrepreneurial endeavors all possible, ensuring Jake’s lifestyle can be maintained wherever he is on the planet. AFAIK all perfectly legal. In fact Jake could be living in a house purchased by an LLC formed by the Trust for that specific purpose. As a Realtor I know firsthand there’s no easy way to find the name of LLC owners in publicly available records. At least not in Colorado.

I’m on the fence about the Utah associates involvement. Real Estate sale documents and trust records posted upthread identify the executor, a Utah resident, by name. A later post identified the Executor as Jakes ex-brother-in-law. If he’s the ex-wife’s brother it seems kind of weird for him to be in on the plan without the ex-wife knowing too (though there’s no shortage of “weird” in this case.).


All MOO
Click to expand...
I find the trustee interesting to say the least, but that is because I know exactly who he is. I wish I could answer or *disagree* with your last paragraph but understand we can sleuth family, but we can't share what we find. ;).
 
Redtail said:
At one point, Jake’s LinkedIn page showed a CEO of a private Executive Service jet company. This would be an easy way to escape w/0 paperwork worry, but then there would be a couple of people who would be witnesses.
Very mystifying!
Click to expand...
Well, he did have a pilot's license at one point and there was a private airport on the other side of the reserve.
 
Redtail said:
It’s just so odd that family, co workers, friends are not talking and are not active with social media. If Jake left a suicide note somewhere , or something indicated he took his own life, then usually the police would say there are no new leads etc and imply the investigation is not active. It’s possible his body might eventually be found in the preserve, but I highly doubt it.

I think he went off the grid and I do think he had help from his older relative who lives in Utah I believe. This relative had power of atty for the house that was sold. It wouldn’t surprise me if the relative picked him up on the other side of the preserve and helped him disappear.
IMO
Click to expand...
his family was even weird and vague in the jake cefolia group made on FB. they didn't post pleas or upset comments whatsoever. i joined for a bit and it's either inactive or got deleted or i was removed, as i cannot find it now.
 
kelsie said:
his family was even weird and vague in the jake cefolia group made on FB. they didn't post pleas or upset comments whatsoever. i joined for a bit and it's either inactive or got deleted or i was removed, as i cannot find it now.
Click to expand...
It's still there but is now labeled "closed to new members". There hasn't been any news there I can see apart from comments related to Alan White and the similarities to Jake's disappearance.

Colorado303 said:
Question: If someone is placed in witness protection to be safe prior to testifying against someone, but a co-worker unaware of the plan reports them missing to LE and the media, what would that look like?

Would it look a lot like this?
Click to expand...
That's the most interesting theory so far. It would explain a lot of oddities.
 
Colorado303 said:
Question: If someone is placed in witness protection to be safe prior to testifying against someone, but a co-worker unaware of the plan reports them missing to LE and the media, what would that look like?

Would it look a lot like this?
Click to expand...




Agree that Witness Protection Program is a possibility.
“ The records also show that Cefolia had contact with police on August 6, two days before he was reported missing. The report includes only a notation about this.”

Witness may have seen missing United Airlines exec Jake Cefolia after his last confirmed sighting at gas station
 
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