The Brief
- Monica Marie Padilla was sentenced to over 13 years in federal prison for embezzling more than $595,000 from three San Antonio businesses and their clients.
- Prosecutors revealed she spent the stolen funds on home remodeling, DoorDash orders, Disney merchandise, a California trip, and her daughter’s cheerleading activities.
- Padilla continued her scheme while out on pretrial release, taking a new remote bookkeeping job and defrauding that firm before pleading guilty to fraud and money laundering.
SAN ANTONIO, Texas – A San Antonio woman was sentenced to 160 months in federal prison for embezzling more than $595,000 from three businesses and their clients.
Details of the $595K embezzlement scheme
What we know:
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Texas, 49-year-old Monica Marie Padilla was sentenced on Sept. 16, 2026.
Court documents show Padilla worked as a bookkeeper for multiple businesses during three separate periods between June 2021 and February 2025. She had access to the companies’ bank and credit accounts and used several methods to steal money.
Stolen funds spent on DoorDash, Disney, and vacations
Prosecutors said Padilla used the stolen funds to remodel her home, buy Disney merchandise, pay for hundreds of DoorDash orders and fund her daughter’s cheerleading activities.
She also paid for a trip to California that cost more than $5,700.
U.S. attorney calls defendant a “financial predator”
What they’re saying:…