Jennifer Choi, 39, of Valley Village, has been sentenced to 30 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to a brazen fraud scheme that siphoned approximately $1 million from HBO through fake invoices and unauthorized luxury services. The former manager in HBO’s Talent Relations Department exploited her position of trust to orchestrate a years-long theft that prosecutors call a textbook case of corporate greed.
Choi pleaded guilty to two counts of wire fraud and one count of tax evasion, admitting she created a shell company, Shine Glossy, LLP, to submit nearly 300 fraudulent invoices for hairstyling, wardrobe, and make-up services that were never rendered. Real actors and stylists were listed to give the bills legitimacy, but the services were entirely fabricated. HBO wired approximately $940,000 to Choi’s controlled bank account before the scheme unraveled.
In addition to the fake invoices, Choi used HBO’s corporate account to pay for personal car services for herself, her family, and friends. By providing HBO’s billing information to a car service, she fraudulently obtained $63,000 in luxury rides. The total loss to HBO amounted to close to $1 million, with an additional $283,706 in unpaid taxes owed to the IRS due to unreported income.
U.S. District Judge John A. Kronstadt ordered Choi to pay $1,285,742 in restitution—over $1 million to HBO and $283,706 to the IRS. When she was terminated in September 2014, Choi had worked at HBO for nearly a decade, a tenure she leveraged to deepen her criminal enterprise. The fraud escalated over time, prosecutors said, fueled by a desire to maintain an extravagant lifestyle.
“This defendant engaged in a sophisticated fraud scheme that resulted in the theft of approximately $1 million from the victim company and nearly $300,000 from American taxpayers,” said U.S. Attorney Eileen M. Decker. “The criminal conduct in this case continued for years, and the pace of the theft accelerated over time. This was a crime motivated by greed.” FBI Assistant Director Deirdre Fike added, “Choi took advantage of a coveted position of trust… and subjected herself to a substantial sentence.”
IRS Criminal Investigation’s Acting Special Agent in Charge Anthony J. Orlando stated, “Choi allowed greed to color her judgment and now she will be paying the price.” Choi admitted to failing to file federal tax returns for 2011, 2013, and 2014 and under-reporting income in 2010 and 2012. The investigation was led by the FBI and IRS-CI, with prosecution handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey M. Chemerinsky.
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Key Facts
- State: California
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: Official Source ↗
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