Chakib Mansour Kodja, a 36-year-old Chicago man, has been arrested and charged with multiple felonies in connection with the sexual assaults of five women, spanning from May 2022 to February 2025. Kodja was apprehended at O'Hare International Airport upon his return to the city, according to the Chicago Police Department. He faces a slew of charges, including aggravated criminal sexual assault with a weapon, aggravated kidnapping, and attempted home invasion.
Details about the cases and the apprehension of the suspect were shared during a press conference on Monday.
Authorities said that DNA evidence and video surveillance played crucial roles in linking Kodja to the crimes. A car traced by the department's robbery team was also instrumental in his identification and subsequent arrest. As Snelling explained in a statement obtained by Fox32 Chicago, "Although the offender is in custody, we know there is still a long road for the women as these cases are prosecuted. We stand with these survivors and all survivors of sexual violence and sexual assault."
Cook County State’s Attorney Eileen O’Neill Burke described Kodja as "a violent serial predator who literally went out hunting for his victims." She commended the persistence of detectives and prosecutors, stating, "It was only through the dogged police work. They didn't give up. They kept investigating for three years, and they found him," according to the report.
The Chicago Police Department has not dismissed the possibility of additional victims coming forward. They are urging anyone who believes they may have been victimized by Kodja to reach out to local authorities or contact a rape crisis hotline at 1-888-293-8020. Kodja was scheduled for a detention hearing today, which marks a substantial step forward in a case that has caused widespread distress in the affected communities.
