Mr. Gillman, 56, who lives in the Gold Coast neighborhood of Chicago, was charged with eight counts, including organizing a continuing financial crimes enterprise, mail fraud, money laundering and theft.  “Gillman and others knew this company was headed for closure,” said Anita Alvarez, the Cook County state’s attorney, “and instead of fulfilling their legal obligations to their creditors and their moral obligations to their employees, they devised a scheme to benefit themselves.”  A 56-page document submitted to the judge details accusations that Mr. Gillman knew the company would close, but did not notify workers as required by law. Prosecutors said Mr. Gillman defrauded the company’s creditors, who were owed more than $10 million, and used company money to pay off leases on two luxury vehicles.  They also said he moved machinery from Republic to a nonunion factory he opened in Red Oak, Iowa. That factory also failed and closed earlier this year.  Serious Materials bought the former Republic factory in February for $1.45 million in bankruptcy court. The company started making windows in April and rehired some Republic workers.  Workers said they were glad to see Mr. Gillman held accountable for the way he treated them.  “We feel like justice has finally come, and we all hope that this is the beginning of more bosses’ being held accountable for their crimes against workers,” Melvin Maclin, a former Republic worker, said in a statement.  A version of this article appears in print on , on Page A12 of the New York edition with the headline: Theft Charges For Ex-Owner Of Factory. Order Reprints| Today's Paper|Subscribe
The former owner of a window factory where workers staged a sit-in last year was charged with plotting to steal money from the workers and the company’s creditors.