Camarillo woman who embezzled more than $750K from boss, vacationed in Europe sentenced
Neydi Garcia / Ventura County District Attorney's Officea
VENTURA COUNTY, Calif. - A Camarillo woman who admitted to embezzling more than $750,000 from her boss, using the money to pay her cell phone bills, buy designer bags, and take her family on lavish vacations to Europe and Mexico was sentenced Tuesday.
Neydi Garcia, 41, was sentenced to 4 years and 4 months in state prison after she pled guilty in 2023 to seven felony counts of grand theft from her employer, one felony count of identity theft, and one felony count of filing a false tax return, according to the Ventura County District Attorney's Office. Garcia was also ordered to pay an additional $662,654 restitution to the theft victim and $221,530 in restitution, interest and penalties to the California Franchise Tax Board.
Garcia, who also used the aliases Neydi Villegas and Neydi Alargunsoro, was hired in 2016 as an office manager and bookkeeper for the victim, who owned multiple companies across Ventura County, officials said. Garcia managed the victim's personal finance accounts.
An investigation into Garcia's involvement was initiated in 2019 after the victim's accountant noticed "significant discrepancies" in bank deposits handled by Garcia. She was terminated in May 2019, officials said, and a warrant issued for Garcia's arrest on Oct. 18, 2020, according to officials.
The investigation revealed Garcia embezzled around $750,000 from her boss over a three-year period. This included unauthorized purchases on the victim's business credit card.
Garcia also paid personal cell phone bills, collection agencies, and bought jewelry and designer items from luxury brands like Gucci, Chanel, and Louis Vuitton, the DA's office said.
She also took her family on "lavish vacations" to Nashville, Las Vegas, Europe, and Mexico.
Additionally, Garcia made unauthorized transactions to pay her mortgage and credit card bills, and stole cash from one of the businesses owned by the victim, authorities said.
None of the money she stole was reported on her California income taxes, officials said.