Times staff
Thursday, December 16, 2010
NEW PORT RICHEY — A paralegal is accused of going on a $2,200 shopping spree with credit cards belonging to a bankruptcy client.
Sauz Mendoza-Grandez, a paralegal at Anett Lopez, P.A., told the client to bring his credit cards to the office so the firm could shred them, according to a Pasco County Sheriff's Office report. The client later received phone calls from credit companies questioning some charges on the account, so he notified deputies.
Detectives found that Mendoza-Grandez charged $1,600 at Best Buy, $558 at Kohl's and $77 at 7-Eleven using the client's credit cards, the report said.
"I know it was wrong," the 27-year-old told deputies, according to his arrest report. "I just wanted to give my kids Christmas presents."
Mendoza-Grandez added: "I'm sorry, I never did this before, it's just times are hard."
Lopez ...