Update: Former bookkeeper ordered to pay more than $1 million in restitution
Update posted June 28, 2022:
– San Luis Obispo County District Attorney Dan Dow announced today that former Arroyo Grande resident Ginger Lee Mankins, 57, has been ordered to pay restitution to Rick Machado Livestock in the amount of $1,304,524.
On Sept. 1, 2021, Mankins pleaded guilty to six counts of felony embezzlement involving two victim businesses: Rick Machado Livestock and B&D Farms. The theft occurred over a roughly ten-year period, from mid-2007 to Jan. 2018. On Oct. 13, 2021, San Luis Obispo County Superior Court Judge Jacquelyn Duffy sentenced Mankins to 10 years in state prison on the plea describing the impact of Mankins’ crime as “a tremendous loss and violation of trust.”
At today’s restitution hearing, Superior Court Judge Denise DeBelleFeuille stated that Machado Livestock should be “made whole” for its losses, noting Mankins’ “spectacular betrayal of trust.” Testimony at the restitution hearing demonstrated that Mankins embezzled $3,440,205 between May 2007 and Jan. 2018 from Machado Livestock and caused further losses to the business in the amount of $811,317. At the hearing evidence was also presented that Mankins and her husband repaid $2,947,000, leaving $1,304,524 owed to Machado Livestock.
“Embezzlement committed by employees in positions of trust are especially devastating, particularly when it involves staggering amounts of stolen funds over such an extended period of time,” said District Attorney Dan Dow. “This ten-year prison sentence and order to repay more than $1,300,000 of stolen funds affirms that those who steal from our business community will face aggressive prosecution in San Luis Obispo County.”
Restitution was not ordered for the second victim of embezzlement, B&D Farms, as a final accounting has yet to be completed. A hearing to determine losses suffered by B&D Farms has been set for October 5, 2022.
The case was investigated by the San Luis Obispo County District Attorney’s Office Bureau of Investigations with the aid of the Arroyo Grande Police Department and was prosecuted by Deputy District Attorney Michael Frye assigned to the District Attorney’s Special Prosecutions Unit which includes both major fraud and public integrity.
Update posted Oct. 14, 2021:
Local bookkeeper sentenced to 10 years for embezzlement
Local bookkeeper sentenced to 10 years for embezzlement– District Attorney Dan Dow has announced that 56-year-old Arroyo Grande resident Ginger Lee Mankins has been sentenced to 10 years in state prison for her guilty plea to six counts of felony embezzlement. Mankins also admitted that her crimes involved the theft of more than $500,000. She will also be ordered to repay the money she stole in an amount to be determined by the court at a hearing set for Jan. 12, 2022.
At today’s sentencing hearing, Jill Machado described her 20-year relationship with Mankins as being closely personal in nature and noted the damage inflicted by the defendant was not “just financial,” but “calculated, deliberate, drawn out over a long period of time and extremely impactful on our lives.” In imposing the 10-year prison sentence, Superior Court Judge Jacquelyn Duffy described the impact of Mankins’ actions as a “tremendous loss and violation of trust.”
Court records indicate that Mankins was a bookkeeper for Rick Machado Livestock from 2007 through 2017 and for B&D Farms from 2008 through 2017 and that she stole from these companies while working for them.
“Embezzlement committed by employees or friends in positions of trust are especially troubling, particularly when it involves staggering amounts of stolen funds over such an extended period of time,” said District Attorney Dan Dow. “Our Major Fraud Unit stands ready to aggressively prosecute these and other financial crimes that harm specific victims and adversely affect our community’s economic vitality.”
The case was investigated by the San Luis Obispo County District Attorney’s Office Bureau of Investigations with the aid of the Arroyo Grande Police Department and was prosecuted by Deputy District Attorney Michael Frye assigned to the District Attorney’s Special Prosecutions Unit that includes both Major Fraud and Public Integrity.
Update posted Sept. 2, 2021
Local bookkeeper Ginger Lee Mankins enters guilty plea to six counts of embezzlement
– District Attorney Dan Dow announced today that Arroyo Grande resident Ginger Lee Mankins, 56, entered a guilty plea to six counts of embezzlement with an agreement that she will be sentenced to 10 years in state prison. She will also be ordered to repay the money she stole in an amount to be determined by the court at a future hearing.
In addition to the embezzlement counts, Mankins also admitted that her theft exceeded $500,000. She is set to be sentenced on Oct. 6, 2021, in Dept. 1 of the San Luis Obispo County Superior Court, the Honorable Jacquelyn H. Duffy presiding.
“Theft committed by employees or friends in positions of trust are especially troubling, particularly when it involves staggering amounts of stolen funds over such an extended period of time,” said District Attorney Dan Dow. “Our Major Fraud Unit stands ready to aggressively prosecute these and other financial crimes.”
Court documents reflect that Mankins was a bookkeeper for Rick Machado Livestock from 2007 through 2017 and for B&D Farms from 2008 through 2017 and that she stole from these companies while working for them.
The case was investigated by the San Luis Obispo County District Attorney’s Office Bureau of Investigations with the aid of the Arroyo Grande Police Department and was prosecuted by Deputy District Attorney Michael Frye assigned to the District Attorney’s Special Prosecutions Unit that includes both Major Fraud and Public Integrity.
Original story posted Feb. 10 2020
Ginger Lee Mankins, 55.
Bookkeeper arrested on suspicion of embezzling more than $5 million
–District Attorney Dan Dow announced this week that Ginger Lee Mankins, 55, has been arrested on suspicion of embezzling more than $5 million from two local agricultural businesses. After conducting a nine-month investigation, the DA’s office has filed a felony criminal complaint against Mankins alleging she stole in excess of $5 million from two south county agricultural companies: Rick Machado Livestock and B&D Farms.
The 14-count felony complaint alleges that Mankins stole from Rick Machado Livestock between the dates of May 2007 and Feb. 2018. The complaint further alleges that the theft was not discovered by the company until March of 2018. The complaint also alleges that Mankins stole from B&D Farms between the dates of Aug. 2012 and Dec. 2019. As to both companies, the complaint alleges that Mankins exploited her position as a trusted bookkeeper to gain access to the money and to conceal her theft.
Mankins has entered a plea of not guilty and is next scheduled in court for a hearing on Feb. 14, 2020, in Department 1 of the San Luis Obispo County Superior Court, Judge Jacquelyn Duffy presiding.
Comments
