Former worker charged with stealing more than $30,000 from Geneva inn

A former Herrington Inn and Spa employee has been charged with stealing at least $30,000 from the business by making fake credit card returns.

Vanessa R. Strass, 41, of the 100 block of South Sugar Grove Parkway, Sugar Grove, is charged with one felony count of theft - unauthorized control $10,000-$100,000, according to a Geneva police report.

The report states a credit card processing company told a manager at the business on Dec. 20, 2022, that it was suspicious about a $750 return to a credit card because there had not been a $750 purchase.

The manager began reviewing returns and found $37,216 of questionable returns between January 2021 and December 2022 to four credit cards.

All the transactions were processed by Strass, who was the Herrington's revenue manager, the report states. The cards belonged to Strass.

According to the report, the manager believes Strass overheard the conversation with the credit card processor and left the business. Later that day, according to the report, Strass called the manager and offered to repay $37,000.

The report alleges Strass processed 95 fraudulent returns between March 2021 and December 2022 for $30,313.

Strass was arrested on April 3, according to the report. Bail information was not available.