In 1980, 35-year-old Karen Lee Koppel was involved in a tumultuous relationship with Ben Stein, a 67-year-old married man with a significant presence in Chicago's business world and alleged connections to organized crime. Their relationship soured when Koppel reportedly realized Stein had no intention of leaving his wife to marry her. The situation escalated after Koppel became pregnant and was allegedly coerced into having an abortion. Following this, she began making demands for a substantial financial settlement to remain quiet about their affair and other matters. This led Stein to seek assistance from a longtime friend, Richard 'Rick' Simon, who was a Chicago police officer at the time and also worked for Stein's janitorial firm. The purpose of Simon's involvement was to negotiate an amicable resolution with Koppel.
The last time Karen Koppel was seen was on a spring evening in Chicago. She was dressed in a black blouse and grey slacks.
Simon met with Koppel at Flapjaw's Saloon, located on North Wabash Avenue. During this meeting, it is reported that Simon, acting on Stein's behalf, offered Koppel $10,000 and the use of an apartment on Lake Shore Drive in exchange for her silence and departure from Stein's life. Accounts state that Koppel left the saloon alone that night. She has not been seen or heard from since that meeting. In the immediate aftermath of her disappearance, there was speculation that she may have been murdered and her body disposed of in Lake Michigan, though no evidence was ever found to support this theory.
The investigation into Karen Koppel's disappearance has remained open for decades, though it is not being actively worked. A grand jury was convened in the early 1980s to investigate the case, but Simon refused to testify. No one has ever been charged in connection with her disappearance, and no individuals have been officially cleared as potential suspects. Simon has publicly stated that he does not believe Koppel was murdered, suggesting instead that she may have started a new life elsewhere under a different identity, possibly due to the emotional distress and humiliation from her relationship with Stein. The case remains a poignant mystery, leaving her family and the community without answers about what truly happened to Karen Lee Koppel after she left the saloon that night.Last Seen: Apr 26, 1980
