Tuesday, April 14, 1998 | 2:25 a.m.
Gina Gail Garcia entered the plea in federal court to one count of wire fraud in connection with the money taken from the Juvenile Diabetes Foundation International.
Garcia admitted to writing 74 checks from the charity to herself and depositing the checks in personal bank accounts. She tried to cover up the thefts by falsifying records and misrepresenting the financial status of the local chapter to the charity's national leadership.
Charity officials first discovered the embezzlement through an internal audit and Garcia was fired from the job she held from 1993 to last year.
Garcia blamed a severe gambling problem for the embezzlement. She faces a possible prison term when sentenced later this year.
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