Case continued for Geneva woman charged with nearly $150K theft from dance studio

Kane County Judge John Barsanti scheduled Jan. 16, 2025, as a final date for a plea or setting for a former employee of a Geneva dance studio, indicted on two counts of felony financial exploitation of an elderly person age 70 or older.

Desiree R. Cortez and her attorney appeared remotely before Barsanti on Thursday.

Charging documents for Cortez, 47, of the 100 block of Logan Avenue, Geneva, state she was in a position of trust to an elderly person, and by deception, obtained control of more than $15,000.

Cortez was also indicted on a felony theft charge of more than $100,000 but less than $500,000.

Cortez was in charge of accounting and payroll for the Elise Flagg Academy of Dance, 319 W. State St., Geneva, for four years until she was fired Jan. 23, 2024.

Geneva police began an investigation March 11 after a new employee at the business reported the suspected theft, records show.

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

According to a 48-page police report, the total amount of the theft was calculated to be $146,278.89.

In addition to paying herself, according to the report, 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.

Cortez’s attorney did not respond to a request for comment.

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