Woman sentenced for stealing over $80,000 as hotel employee

OCEAN CITY, Md.  – A Delaware woman was sentenced for stealing money while she was employed at an Ocean City hotel. Her schemes included depositing checks for visa students into her personal account.

The Office of State’s Attorney for Worcester County says on Wednesday, 36-year-old Gilenia Garcia pleaded guilty to embezzlement and theft scheme of $10,000 to under $100,000. The charges stem from a theft incident that happened while the Frankford, DE woman was employed as an Assistant Manager at the Paradise Plaza Hotel. She was also responsible for the company’s payroll.

In early 2011, Garcia stole approximately $82,500 from the company using different schemes from 2014 through 2017. According to the report, she was fraudulently giving herself and other family members unearned paid leave. Authorities say Garcia also deposited checks into her personal account for J1 visa students who had already returned to their home countries.

The 36-year-old was sentenced to five years with all but six months suspended in the Worcester County Jail. She will also be on supervised probation for five years.