Paralegal To Oakland Feds: 'I Settled Lawsuits & Illegally Pocketed $327K In Settlement Proceeds Without My Boss' Or Injured Clients' Knowledge!'

From the Office of the U.S. Attorney (Oakland, California):

• Ana Lissa Reyes pleaded guilty in federal court in Oakland [] to mail fraud and tax evasion, announced United States Attorney Melinda Haag.
  
  In pleading guilty, Reyes admitted to having worked as a secretary, office manager, and paralegal for a Bay Area law firm. Reyes admitted that from about 2006 through June 2011, she, without authorization, settled claims without the knowledge of the law firm or its clients and stole the settlement proceeds.
  
  Reyes admitted to engaging clients without the law firm’s knowledge and to stealing clients’ retainer fee payments. Reyes also admitted that in carrying out the scheme to defraud, she created a bogus company, Lincoln Litigation, to correspond with clients without the law firm’s knowledge, and to defraud the clients into believing that their cases were ongoing. Reyes admitted to embezzling a total of $327,795.05 from the law firm and its clients.

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• Reyes is currently on pre-trial release on a $100,000 bond. Reyes’ sentencing hearing is scheduled for October 10, 2013 at 2:00 p.m. before the Honorable Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers, U.S. District Court Judge, in Oakland.

For the U.S. Attorney press release, see Bay Area Law Firm Paralegal Pleads Guilty To Fraud.