Former Naperville adoption agency CEO gets 54 months in prison for theft
The former director of a Naperville adoption agency was sentenced to 4½ years in prison Thursday for stealing more than $100,000 from the organization,
Robert Geniesse, 52, was found guilty last month of theft of more than $100,000, personal use of charitable trust funds, wire fraud and forgery while he served as CEO of Our Children's Homestead.
"He had almost absolute power over the small organization and everything that went on in it," Illinois Senior Assistant Attorney General Edward Snow said Thursday, seeking a 12-year sentence. "And it, quite simply, went to his head."
While CEO of the charity, Geniesse was found to have used business credit cards for personal expenses in 2010 and 2011.
Geniesse charged purchases to the charity, including expensive camera equipment, shopping trips to Neiman Marcus for cosmetics, home goods at Pottery Barn and Ethan Allen, a $600 trip to Binny's Beverage Depot, and costly restaurant tabs, including a nearly $1,000 tab at Morton's in Naperville.
Geniesse also expensed lavish trips, including an outing to a Minnesota Vikings game, Chicago Bulls game, more than $1,300 at Luxury Link in Los Angeles, and $3,800 in airline tickets overseas.
Judge George Bakalis ruled last month that none of the expenses were connected to his role as CEO of the organization.
Speaking to the judge before sentencing, Geniesse asked for forgiveness from friends and family and sought leniency from Bakalis.
"I was an overambitious and impulsive CEO," he said. "And I shirked my fiduciary responsibilities and I'm sorry."
Geniesse was also accused of diverting agency money to a film-production company he started, and was sending money to family members.
Geniesse's attorney, Joseph Solon, sought a probation sentence for his client, arguing Geniesse "never had any intent to harm Our Children's Homestead."
"This is a man in crisis who committed a bad act. But he needs the opportunity to make it right," Solon said. "Up until this point in his life, (Geniesse) acted superbly and benefitted hundreds, if not thousands of children."
Geniesse was fired from Our Children's Homestead in 2011 and he left the U.S. in 2012, just days before he was charged with embezzling. He flew to Germany to be with his wife, but was later extradited to America to face charges.
With day-for-day credit, Geniesse will serve 27 months of the sentence and he receives credit for the 16 months he's already served. Barring any setbacks, he'll be released by September 2015.