POINT LOMA, Calif. (FOX 5/KUSI) — A woman from Point Loma pleaded guilty in federal court last Thursday, admitting she embezzled more than $8.5 million from her employer and spent a portion of the stolen funds on luxuries and high-end fashion.

According to a press release from the Department of Justice, Ping “Jenny” Gao, 55, embezzled the funds from her employer by draining four bank accounts belonging to his U.S. companies.

In her plea agreement, Goa admitted to funneling company funds into fraudulent accounts she created. She reportedly used the stolen funds on lavish shopping sprees at high-end fashion retailers and also purchased a $160,000 Porsche and a $2.9 million home overlooking San Diego Bay.

When the employer discovered the stolen funds, he attempted to sue Gao in San Diego Superior Court, during which she falsely claimed that the person suing her was an imposter and that the real owner of the company in China authorized her actions.

To support her false defense, Gao reportedly paid more than $100,000 to people in China to help fabricate evidence, and she also committed perjury at her deposition by claiming the funds in the companies’ bank accounts belonged to her, according to the report.

While the Superior Court issued orders barring Gao from further spending, transferring,
or dissipating the funds during the pendency of the civil case, she reportedly disregarded the orders and wired $1.6 million to a bank account in Hong Kong.

In 2023, the civil case went to trial with Gao testifying in her own defense. In her defense, she falsely claimed a manager from one of the companies was helping her move the funds to the U.S. by using “underground banks” to avoid Chinese overseas transfer laws.

The court ruled against Gao and turned the preliminary injunction into a permanent one.

However, Gao violated the court order and continued to spend the funds, which reportedly included selling the Porsche to CarMax for $75,000 and exchanging a $70,000 cashier’s check for cash.

To date, more than $3.9 million of the embezzled funds have been either squandered or remain unaccounted.

Gao’s summary of charges includes Wire Fraud, which carries a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison, and Concealment Money Laundering, which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years and fines of $500,000 or more.

The U.S. Border Patrol’s San Diego sector has a new chief patrol agent, a 25-year veteran who got his start in Imperial Beach, the agency announced Monday.

Justin De La Torre, a San Diego native, replaced acting Chief Patrol Agent Jeffrey Stalnaker in the top job. Stalnaker will remain on as deputy chief patrol agent.

“The men and women of San Diego sector have profoundly shaped my leadership by exemplifying our motto of ‘honor first’ in every aspect of their service,” De La Torre said in a statement. “Their dedication to the common good of the American people, both here in San Diego and across the nation, has strengthened my commitment to our mission.”

After beginning his career at the Imperial Beach station, he then went on to serve in various assignments in San Diego, including in the all-terrain vehicle unit, the alien smuggler identification and deterrence program, the public affairs office, the air mobile unit and the tactical unit, officials said.

De La Torre has also worked at Border Patrol headquarters in Washington, D.C., and was previously the chief agent in the Yuma sector, officials said.

As the top executive in the region, De La Torre will command around 2,000 Border Patrol agents along the 60 linear miles of border with Mexico, as well as the entire coast of California.

POWAY, CA — An 18-year-old wanted for various weapons violations in San Diego County was arrested Saturday in Oklahoma, authorities said.

Cameron Johnson fired a rifle in an open field Tuesday near Hidden Valley Drive and Birch Lane in Poway, according to the San Diego County Sheriff’s Office. Johnson, who was dressed in military-style fatigues, was in possession of a rifle that did not have a serial number when he was contacted by deputies.

“At this point, Johnson ran from deputies into an area with dense vegetation,” sheriff’s Lt. Colin Hebeler said. “Despite an hours-long search involving deputies, sheriff’s ASTREA (helicopter) and sheriff’s K-9s, Johnson was not located.”

Deputies found firearm parts without serial numbers and body armor when they served a search warrant at Johnson’s home, Hebeler said.

Johnson was wanted on suspicion of negligent discharge of a firearm, possession of an un-serialized assault rifle and violation of a gun violence restraining order, Hebeler said. The San Diego Superior Court issued a warrant for his arrest Thursday.

Johnson was located and arrested Saturday in Oklahoma City. He is expected to be booked into Oklahoma County Jail and returned to San Diego, Hebeler said. He is expected to face charges of illegal possession of an assault weapon and six counts of illegally possessing a firearm, ammunition, gun parts and magazines in violation of a gun violence restraining order.