Woman Ordered to Stand Trial in Alleged Embezzlement

A La Quinta woman was ordered Wednesday to stand trial on charges of embezzling more than $114,000 from a local brokerage business where she worked.

Isabel Sonia Bandzej, 50, is charged with one felony count of embezzlement and a sentence-enhancing allegation that the amount involved was over $65,000.

Bandzej, who is free on $114,000 bail, is due back in court on Sept. 17 for a post-preliminary hearing arraignment.

Bandzej had been hired by the brokerage business to maintain payment invoices for several clients. The owner realized money was missing from his business bank account when he received a collections notice from a client, sheriff’s officials said.

Bandzej was arrested about 7:30 a.m. Feb. 13 during a search of her home in the 54000 block of Avenida Velasco, Cpl. Joshua Reinbolz said.

During the search, investigators from the La Quinta Business District Unit said they found evidence supporting the allegations against Bandzej, Reinbolz said.

Superior Court Judge Graham A. Cribbs ruled that prosecutors presented sufficient evidence to send the case to trial.

--City news Service, photo courtesy of the Riverside Sheriff’s Department