Murrieta food worker arrested in embezzlement case

By: JOHN HALL - Staff Writer | Friday, December 7, 2007 9:20 PM PST ∞

MURRIETA -- A longtime employee of the Murrieta Valley Unified School District has been arrested on suspicion of embezzling more than a quarter of a million dollars in cash from food services at Murrieta Valley High School, authorities said.

Wilhelmina De Guzman Ignacio, 48, was arrested Thursday following investigations by both the school district and Murrieta police detectives.

Ignacio had been employed by the district since 1995 before she resigned Nov. 8, said Karen Parris, spokeswoman for the district.

In the position of kitchen lead at the high school, Ignacio oversaw 17 employees and was responsible for ordering food, the sales and preparation of food, and turning in daily cash receipts, Parris said.

Her arrest was "very surprising and disappointing," Parris said.

The spokeswoman said there are several processes in place to prevent thefts of food service money and that Ignacio "was very familiar with all of them."

Murrieta police Detective Sgt. Jim Ganley said part of Ignacio's job was to take care of the money bags containing cash that were turned in each day.

"The bags were supposed to all be sealed and locked, but many were not," Ganley said. "She noticed that, didn't report it and took advantage of it."

According to the investigation, Ignacio removed cash from the bags and changed the dollar amount on paperwork with each bag so it didn't appear anything had been stolen, Ganley said.

From April 2006 through last month, Ignacio was able to take an estimated $260,000 cash, the sergeant said.

Ignacio was first interviewed by detectives early last month about the suspected thefts. Ganley said she admitted to taking the money and was cooperative with detectives.

After detectives received some necessary financial documentation, Ignacio was brought back in and arrested Thursday, he said.

Detectives believe Ignacio sent large portions of the money to relatives in the Philippines, used a substantial amount to gamble at area Indian casinos and paid some minor bills with the cash, Ganley said.

Parris said the losses did not come from any of the students' pre-paid food accounts, only cash sales.

"All of the students have continued to receive full value for their meals," Parris said.

The district will be working hard to receive restitution for the loss, she said.

Although the estimated $260,000 loss is a substantial amount, Parris said it has not affected the large $5.2 million annual budget for food services within the school district.

"This is really quite a large operation," Parris said.

Districtwide, about 2.3 million meals are served each year, with nearly 13,000 meals served each day at all schools, she said.

Ignacio is being held in lieu of $500,000 bail at Larry D. Smith Correctional Facility, jail records state. She is scheduled to appear in court next week.

Contact staff writer John Hall at (951) 676-4315, Ext. 2628, or jhall@californian.com.