Villa Park woman charged with stealing from elderly uncle

A Villa Park woman is in custody on charges she stole nearly $250,000 from her 80-year-old uncle who is suffering from dementia, authorities said Wednesday.

Sharon Cermak, 60, is being held on $100,000 bail. She is charged with one count of financial exploitation of an elderly person.

Authorities say the thefts began in June 2013 when Cermak gained power of attorney over her uncle's affairs and began withdrawing money from his bank account, writing checks to herself and others, and using his debit card - all to pay for her personal bills.

The thefts continued through November 2015, authorities said, until they were uncovered by officials from DuPage County's Adult Protective Services who brought them to the attention of the state's attorney's office.

The uncle has since died.

"If these allegations are proven true, Sharon Cermak took advantage of the trust placed in her by an elderly uncle to line her own pockets," DuPage State's Attorney Robert Berlin said in a statement.