Chicago woman charged in Kane County lottery scam

A Kane County judge has issued an arrest warrant for a Chicago woman on a felony theft charge accusing her of bilking someone out of $5,000 in a lottery scam.

A Tuesday statement from Kane County prosecutors alleges that 49-year-old Janet Cruz lied about winning a $2 million lottery, telling her victim she couldn't collect the winnings until she put down a certain amount of cash.

Cruz promised the victim she'd get $100,000 of the purported prize money in return for providing some cash, authorities said. Cruz and an accomplice drove the victim to two banks in Batavia, where she withdrew a total of $5,000. After the victim handed over the money, prosecutors say, Cruz feigned illness and asked the victim to buy her medication. Cruz fled after the victim when into a store, authorities said.

The judge issued the arrest warrant Monday.