| For Immediate Release January 18, 2007 |
Contact: | Farrah Emami Spokesperson (714) 347-8405 Office (714) 323-4486 Cell |
COURT APPOINTED CONSERVATOR
SENTENCED FOR EMBEZZLING $900,000
FROM DECEASED WOMAN’S ESTATE
SANTA ANA – A court appointed estate conservator was sentenced today to nine years in prison for embezzling over $900,000 from the estate of a deceased Orange County woman. Jennifer Ann Wenger, 53, San Juan Capistrano, pleaded guilty to three counts of grand theft by embezzlement and one count of tax evasion with an enhancements for committing aggravated white collar crime over $500,000.
Between October 12, 2004 and February 28, 2006, Wenger embezzled more than $900,000 from the estate of a deceased woman, Goldie Carlova. Wenger was the court appointed conservator and administrator of the estate and wrote 65 checks to herself from the estate, as well as deposited eight annuity checks into her personal account. The annuity checks had been intended for Ms. Carlova while she was alive, but had continued to be sent by mistake after Ms. Carlova died.
Wenger deposited most of the embezzled money into online “e-wallets” in foreign countries and used the money for Internet gambling. She also used $73,700 from the Carlova estate to reimburse a separate estate in San Bernardino County from which money was missing and for which she was also the conservator.
Deputy District Attorney Marc Labreche of the Economic Crimes Unit prosecuted this case.
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