Chicago man arrested for targeting women in violent assaults
A man from Chicago was taken into custody recently and is facing charges for a string of sexual offenses that occurred over a span of three years. Chakib Mansour Khodja, 36, has been accused of committing 16 felonies and two misdemeanors involving the kidnapping, sexual assault, or strangulation of five women between 2022 and 2025, as reported by the Chicago Police Department in a statement made on Monday. The victims, aged between 21 and 26, had no prior connections to Khodja, and the incidents all occurred on the North Side of Chicago.
In one instance from May 2022, Khodja reportedly ambushed his first known victim in the communal area of her apartment complex, court documents shared by the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office reveal. After placing a black drawstring bag over her head, Khodja proceeded to strangle her before making his escape. Later that year, he allegedly coerced another woman into performing oral sex on him and engaged in multiple sexual acts with her in the backseat of a car. Additionally, this year, Khodja is said to have brandished a knife while threatening and sexually assaulting two other victims in separate incidents.
Authorities have not yet disclosed the contact information for Khodja’s legal representation. During a press conference alongside law enforcement on Monday, Cook County State’s Attorney Eileen O’Neill Burke expressed relief at Khodja’s arrest, describing it as a positive development for the city of Chicago. Superintendent Larry Snelling of the Chicago Police noted that detectives were able to establish a recurring criminal pattern through a combination of publicly and privately obtained video footage and DNA evidence.
The DNA recovered from the black drawstring bag matched samples collected from previous sexual assault cases and from a buccal swab taken from Khodja at the time of his arrest, according to court records. Khodja was apprehended at O’Hare International Airport.
Snelling commended the courage and strength of the survivors who had endured the traumatic experiences inflicted by Khodja. He encouraged any additional victims or witnesses to come forward with information, emphasizing the importance of identifying and supporting all individuals affected by this predator’s actions.
