The sanctuary city of Chicago, Illinois, released an illegal alien into the public despite being wanted in Louisiana for bank fraud, money laundering, and felony theft.

Vincent Izuchukwu Ezeocha, a 27-year-old illegal alien from Nigeria, was arrested last week by Louisiana law enforcement officials after allegedly stealing more than $22,000 from an American citizen in a bank fraud scheme, according to a press release from Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry.

Before that arrest, however, Chicago officials had arrested Ezeocha following a traffic stop. Ezeocha first came to the U.S. legally but had since overstayed his visa.

Despite being wanted for bank fraud, money laundering, and felony theft, the sanctuary city of Chicago released Ezeocha into the general public instead of extraditing him to Louisiana, according to Landry.

“The sanctuary city of Chicago harbored this criminal, and another citizen of Louisiana has unfortunately been victimized by an illegal immigrant,” Landry said in a statement. “I am grateful to our law enforcement partners for working with my office to apprehend Mr. Ezeocha.”

According to Landry, Ezeocha was operating out of Chicago when he contacted a U.S. citizen living in Lafayette, Louisiana, claiming to be associated with a company out of New Mexico with which the victim had previously conducted business.

Ezeocha, Landry said, ultimately stole more than $22,000 from the Louisiana resident by using a Chicago bank account to route the funds to himself.

The Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency has placed a detainer on Ezeocha so that if he gets released from prison at any time, he will be turned over to federal immigration officials for arrest and deportation.

John Binder is a reporter for Breitbart News. Follow him on Twitter at @JxhnBinder.