Feds Allege Lawyer Skimmed from Redondo Beach-Based Employer

An edited press release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office in San Diego:

James Miller, a Manhattan Beach attorney and corporate executive, appeared in magistrate court in Los Angeles County Tuesday to face allegations that he embezzled over a quarter-million dollars from his former employer, MWRC Internet Sales LLC of Redondo Beach.

As alleged in a five-count Indictment, Miller – a 65-year-old attorney who previously worked for Body Glove, International and served as the president and managing partner of MWRC – devised a scheme to steal money from MWRC to pay for his personal, non-company related expenses.

The defendant carried out his scheme by allegedly writing checks from MWRC’s bank account to pay himself unauthorized income and supplemented his legitimate salary to the tune of hundreds of thousands of dollars over approximately four years.

The Indictment further alleges that Miller failed to disclose to other MWRC partners his on-going self-enrichment scheme and failed to disclose to the banks that the checks he wrote to himself were not authorized by MWRC.

The criminal case against Miller is assigned to U.S. District Court Judge Andre Birotte, Jr. The trial is set for Nov. 11. Magistrate Judge Patrick J. Walsh ordered Miller released on a $50,000 bond pending trial.

Miller is facing a maximum sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment and $250,000 fine.

PHOTO Patch file photo.