SAN DIEGO – Antonia Barber, the former operations manager for Carlsbad-based contractors’ insurance company Target Financial and Insurance Services, was sentenced in federal court yesterday to 21 months in prison for stealing $726,060.75 from the company.
Sentencing documents reflect that Barber held a sensitive position at Target Financial, where she was permitted to approve reimbursement requests from employees, issue reimbursement checks, pay vendors, and report to the owner as to the financial condition of the company. In 2008, Barber began writing hundreds of checks to a family member for bogus “Records Management” services that were never provided. Barber’s conduct escalated to writing herself checks for nonexistent “expense reimbursement,” totaling over $600,000.
Barber went so far as to report to the owner that the company was struggling financially, causing the owner to infuse money into the company to keep people employed and the business afloat. Barber’s scheme went on for seven years until the owner caught on to her theft, and reported it to law enforcement.
“This defendant abused her position of trust to steal hundreds of thousands of dollars,” said U.S. Attorney Robert Brewer. “This sentence is a reminder that there will be a price to pay for employees who use company coffers as a personal bank account.” Brewer praised prosecutor Lisa Sanniti and agents from the U.S. Secret Service for their hard work in this case.
DEFENDANT Case No. 18-CR-4028-W
ANTONIA BARBER Age 52 San Diego, CA
aka “Antonia M. Barber”
aka “Antonia Marie Barber”
aka “Antonia Marie Martinez”
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Wire Fraud – Title 18, U.S.C., Section 1343
Maximum penalty: Twenty years in custody and a $250,000 fine
AGENCY
United States Secret Service
--DOJ Southern District of California