A Corona woman charged federally with embezzling more than half-a-million dollars from her employer pleaded guilty in federal court this afternoon, announced Stephanie Yonekura, the United States Attorney for the Central District of California, and David Bowdich, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office.

Kristina Marie Hosea, 44, of Corona, pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud before the Honorable Judge Cormac Carney today in United States District Court in Santa Ana.

Hosea was charged in federal information on March 23, 2015, with wire fraud and surrendered to federal officials after being summonsed.

According to the information, Hosea was the assistant to the president of Advanced Real Estate Services (ARES) in Irvine, California. As the assistant, Hosea was responsible for reviewing and approving invoices and preparing checks to be signed by the company president. She was also provided a company credit card to use for business purposes only and was not authorized to sign company checks nor to use another signature on company checks.

Beginning in at least September 2008 and continuing through approximately May 3, 2014, Hosea knowingly operated a scheme to defraud ARES. Hosea conducted transfers and cashed at least 100 checks drawn on ARES’ bank account payable to her or others for non-business related expenses, which totaled approximately $318,835.97, causing wire transfers to her personal account. From approximately April 2008 to May 2014, Hosea used company credit cards to make purchases unrelated to ARES’ business, totaling approximately $196,781.02.

In order to conceal her actions and avoid detection, Hosea altered and modified bank and credit card statements, created phony invoices, and deleted records of checks from the company’s computers.

Hosea is scheduled to be sentenced on December 7, 2015, at which time she faces a statutory maximum sentence of 20 in federal prison.

This case was investigated by the FBI. Hosea is being prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office in Orange County.

Media contacts:

• FBI Media Relations: 310-996-3343
• Assistant United States Attorney Greg Staples: 714-338-3535
• United States Attorney’s Office Spokesman: 213-894-6947