Ex-employee of Geneva dance school charged with felony theft

A former employee of a Geneva dance studio was charged with financial exploitation of an elderly person and theft of more than $100,000, court and police records show.

Desiree R. Cortez, 47, of Geneva was charged May 29 with three felonies: financial exploitation of an elderly person by illegally using more than $50,000 of assets; financial exploitation of an elderly person age 70 or older by a person in a position of trust for more than $15,000 of assets; and theft of over $100,000 but less than $500,000, according to the charging documents.

The charges are all Class 1 felonies, punishable by four to 15 years in prison and fines up to $25,000 on each count, or at the judge’s discretion, up to 48 months of probation.

Cortez’s attorney did not respond to a message seeking comment.

Cortez was in charge of accounting and payroll for the Elise Flagg Academy of Dance, 319 W. State St., Geneva, Cortez for four years until she was fired Jan. 23, 2024, according to a 48-page police report.

According to the police report, Cortez made $258,669.46 in personal purchases, not authorized, nor part of her $1,000-per week compensation from June 1, 2022 through March 1, 2024. In subtracting Cortez’s 49 paychecks valued at $98,000, and $14,390.57 that showed she used her personal accounts for storage rental, electric bills and competition fees “the theft total would be $146,278.89.”

According to the police report, the investigation began March 11 when the next employee to handle the dance company’s accounts reported the suspected theft, according to the report.

Police detailed hundreds of transactions, so many that investigators created a spreadsheet to keep track, according to the report.

In addition to paying herself, Cortez allegedly used the dance studio’s funds to pay for her daughter’s attendance at ballet camp in Pennsylvania and a high school trip to Europe; Amazon, DoorDash, UberEats, Verizon and Starbucks; vacation travel expenses; and opened new credit cards and bank accounts in the dance company’s name, according to the report.

Cortez also was listed as president of the dance company in Illinois Secretary of State business records, the change in agent made on Sept. 29, 2022, according to the report.

“Unsure how she removed the victim as president, however, this was how she was able to open bank accounts for the company without being at the bank,” according to the report.

Cortez is scheduled to appear in court Aug. 1 for a preliminary hearing.