An former assistant working for Gooding & Company was arrested on Sept. 11 for using her boss’ credit card to make more than $16,000 in personal purchases that included gift cards, dinners, and airline tickets.
The Santa Monica Police Department investigation dates back to July 13 when officers were called to the Gooding & Company, located at 1517 20th Street, after receiving the report of embezzlement.
When the officer arrived the reporting party stated the female suspect had been hired to as an assistant to the president of the company and was entrusted with purchasing power on behalf of the company president.
It had been discovered that from May 2011 until her termination in June of 2012 this woman had spent more than $16,000 of company money to procure items for herself.
These charges had been discovered when the company examined records, and included numerous purchases for personal goods and services such as gift cards, airline tickets and dinners.
After the company had terminated the woman’s employment they decided that the amount was so significant that they reported it to the authorities.
Subsequently, on Tuesday, Sept. 11, at 2:30 p.m., detectives from the SMPD arrested this 28-year-old resident of San Francisco and she was charged with embezzlement and grand theft. Bail was set at $20,000.
Editor’s Note: These reports are part of a regular police coverage series entitled “Alert Police Blotter” (APB), which injects some minor editorial into certain police activities in Santa Monica. Not all of the Mirror’s coverage of incidents involving police are portrayed in this manner. More serious crimes and police-related activities are regularly reported without editorial in the pages of the Santa Monica Mirror and its website, smmirror.com.
