A Villa Park woman has been charged with stealing more than a quarter of a million dollars from her uncle who suffered from dementia, according to DuPage County prosecutors.
Sharon Cermak, 60, appeared in bond court Wednesday where she is charged with financial exploitation of an elderly person, which is a class 1 felony, prosecutors say. Her bail has been set at $100,000.
Authorities say that Cermak began taking money from the uncle in 2013, when she was granted power of attorney over his finances. The uncle, who was more than 80 years old, is no longer alive, prosecutors say. Court records indicate that he was a Glen Ellyn area resident.
Cermak is alleged to have used the uncle’s debit card and also to have withdrawn money from the uncle’s bank account and used his account to write checks to herself and others, prosecutors say.
Authorities say Cermak took about $250,000 between 2013 and November 2015. DuPage County Adult Protective Services uncovered the alleged thefts, and brought their findings to prosecutors.
Clifford Ward is a freelance reporter.
