SAN DIEGO (CN) - The executive assistant to a Hewlett-Packard vice president was sentenced Monday to 21 months in federal prison for embezzling $954,000 from the company.
"It's almost like we have two people here," U.S. District Judge Michael Anello said as he also ordered her to pay $954,292.31 in restitution.
Holly Dawn Coulman, 44, could have been sentenced to 20 years for wire fraud.
She used HP American Express cards to spend more than $100,000 at La Costa Resort Spa; $43,000 at Pebble Beach resorts; $350,000 in expenses for her brother's painting business in Colorado; thousands more on trips to Europe and Hawaii; on clothes and on cool stuff from an Apple store.
She managed to intercept company emails to her boss and delete them, or fabricate responses and documents showing that her spending was authorized, the U.S. Attorney's Office said.
Subscribe to Closing Arguments
Sign up for new weekly newsletter Closing Arguments to get the latest about ongoing trials, major litigation and hot cases and rulings in courthouses around the U.S. and the world.