By Ben Fassett
Staff Writer
Mandy Borquez, 33, was arrested on Nov. 9 and charged with six counts of embezzlement and identity theft. The former accounting assistant allegedly made away with $500,000 dollars during her tenure from the Student Development fund, revenue provided for by students from such activities as athletic events, snack bar sales and student club accounts.
Signs of discrepancies first appeared in early 2010, spanning almost the entire length of Borquez’s tenure which started in 2004. Borquez tended her resignation in February, after which a 10-month investigation was launched by the Commercial Crime Bureau. Enlisting the help of a bonding agency, Antelope Valley College was able to recoup $233,906 of the embezzled funds.
The Bureau reported that the funds were spent on personal things, and that they are probably mostly spent. According to Detective Key Budge of the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department via the Antelope Valley Press, there are “no assets we can see from the money that was stolen. There’s no assets to go out and grab. The money was spent on an increased lifestyle – eating out, entertainment, vacations […] Taking everyone to Disneyland, taking everyone to dinner.”
Borquez has pleaded not guilty, but has simultaneously admitted to the theft of funds. Unable to afford the $250,000 bail, she is due to stay in prison until she is sentenced. The amount of punishment for the various charges and money owed back to the college depends largely on how much was actually taken, which is being disputed by the defense.
Along with the accusations of fraud, Borquez also faces criminal charges for stealing the identity of the dean of Student Development Services ____ . Officials allege that a false credit card was created to facilitate the fraud.
Since Borquez’s arrest, officials have assured that new processes are being implemented to ensure that thefts like these do not occur again. “Once we’d uncovered the alleged act that she’d been engaged in, we made sure the student’s ASO budget was covered,” said Dr. Jackie Fisher Sr., “and we resolved the issue with the bonding agency. We also put in place some checks and balances to make sure that any expenditures or revenue goes through a complete vetting process to ensure that they are valid […] and correct.”
Borquez’s next court date is set for Dec. 14.
