Latest Legal News from the Criminal Courts of Los Angeles, California and the U.S.

April 15, 2008

Account Manager to Hollywood Clients Charged with Embezzlement

LOS ANGELES – A business management firm employee charged with embezzling more than $700,000 from two high-profile clients – including the late Academy award-winning actor Charlton Heston – was arrested today.
Deputy District Attorney Marisa Zarate of Major Fraud Division said Sharon M. Walker, 56 (dob 01/19/52), is charged in case No. BA338882 with two counts of grand theft by embezzlement with special allegations, three counts of forgery and five counts of filing false tax returns between 2001-05.

Walker is due to be arraigned tomorrow at Los Angeles Superior Court, Division 30. The Los Angeles Police Department’s Commercial Crimes Division referred the case to the District Attorney’s Office, prompting a joint investigation with the State of California Franchise Tax Board.

The defendant allegedly stole more than $150,000 from Emmy award-winning Writer/Producer Stephen Cannell and his wife Marcia, and more than $50,000 from Heston and his wife Lydia. The embezzlement counts carry aggravated white collar crime enhancements, the prosecutor said.

While employed as an account manager at a Los Angeles-based business management firm, Walker allegedly benefited financially from unauthorized transactions by forging signatures to pay her own credit card debt. Prosecutors allege that Walker stole a total dollar amount of $725,466.17. Officers of the Los Angeles Police Department’s Commercial Crimes Division arrested the defendant earlier today.

If convicted as charged, Walker faces a maximum sentence of 11 years in state prison. The defendant is being held on $700,000 bail.

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CALIFORNIA CRIMINAL DEFENSE LAWYER

JOSEPH SHEMARIA

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Latest Legal News from the Criminal Courts of Los Angeles, California and the U.S.