Ex-Office Manager Accused Of Embezzling $360K From Anaheim Police Union

ANAHEIM (CBSLA.com) — The former office manager of the Anaheim Police Association was arrested Wednesday morning on suspicion of embezzling more than $360,000 from the union.

KNX 1070's Mike Landa reports Cindy Su'a and her husband, John, were arrested Wednesday on warrants and both are scheduled to be arraigned Thursday.

Cindy Su'a, 46, has been charged with 117 counts of forgery, 23 counts of computer access fraud and two counts of willful failure to file tax returns – all felonies.

Su'a also faces sentence-enhancing allegations for losses exceeding $100,000, aggravated white-collar crime exceeding $100,000 and property losses of more than $200,000.

John Su'a, 46, was charged with two felony counts of willful failure to file tax returns.

Cindy Su'a allegedly embezzled money from the union between August 2007 and March of this year, by using a typewriting correction feature to alter her bi-monthly paychecks from $2,489 to $5,489 or $6,489, Labreche said. One year, Su'a took home nearly $200,000 in salary, although her annual pay was supposed to be $65,000, he said.

The embezzlement was discovered when Internal Revenue Service agents visited the union's office, inquiring about the failure to pay taxes, Labreche said.

"The detective, who is the president of the association, was there when the IRS shows up saying, 'We've sent all these notices but you haven't sent your quarterlies or paid (the defendant's) employee taxes,' and he said, 'What are you talking about?"' Labreche said.

Investigators also found Cindy Su'a was using the union's online banking to pay her personal bills, Labreche said.

The couple is accused of failing to file personal income tax returns for 2009 and 2010.

Cindy Su'a, who is being held on $360,000 bail, faces up to 99 years in prison if convicted of the charges. Her husband, who is being held on $20,000 bail, faces a sentence of up to three years and eight months if found guilty of the charges.

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