July 20, 2025 #1 Local News, Information and Event Source for the Century City/Westwood areas.

Former HBO Manager Agrees to Plead Guilty to Federal Fraud, Tax Charges

Courtesy image.
Courtesy image.

A former manager in HBO’s Talent Relations Department agreed to plead guilty to federal charges alleging she stole about $1 million from the network by submitting bogus invoices, court documents filed today show.

Jennifer Choi, 38, of Valley Village, will plead guilty to two counts of wire fraud and one count of tax evasion, according to documents filed in Los Angeles federal court.

Choi worked for nearly 10 years at HBO, where she was responsible for scheduling services — such as hair-styling, wardrobe and make-up — for actors associated with the network.

Using a company she created called Shine Glossy, Choi submitted bogus invoices to HBO for style and make-up services for actors, prosecutors allege.

However, the services were never actually provided, and HBO funds instead went directly into a bank account she had established, prosecutors allege.

Through Shine Glossy, Choi submitted nearly 300 fraudulent invoices that led HBO to pay about $940,000, according to court papers.

“Ms. Choi has admitted to bilking her employer out of nearly a million dollars through a fraud scheme that used a fake company that provided no services,” said Eileen M. Decker, the U.S. attorney in Los Angeles.

“This long-term scheme violated both her duty to her employer as well as federal law, and Ms. Choi now faces serious consequences beyond losing her job,” Decker said.

Choi also admitted in a plea agreement that she used a car service for herself, her family and her friends and provided HBO’s account information, which led the car service to bill HBO for the unauthorized rides totaling nearly $63,000, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

Choi was terminated by HBO in September 2014.

“The defendant stole $1 million from her employer by concocting a scheme to conceal her misdeeds — enriching herself by choosing greed over good judgment,” said David Bowdich, assistant director in charge of the FBI’s Los Angeles office. “The FBI will continue to work with our partners to ensure that those who engage in this kind of financial fraud are held accountable.”

In her plea agreement, Choi also admitted that she failed to file federal income tax returns for several years, even though she earned hundreds of thousands of dollars in the years 2011, 2013 and 2014. She also admitted significantly under-reporting her income when she did file tax returns for the years 2010 and 2012, according to the government.

Choi is expected to make her first court appearance on Feb. 19. If convicted as charged at trial, Choi would face up to 45 years in prison, although prosecutors believe that her actual sentence will be significantly less than that.

The actual sentence will be determined solely by the judge presiding over the case.

Related Posts

Venice Family Clinic Slams HHS Funding Restrictions as Assault on Immigrants

July 18, 2025

July 18, 2025

HHS announced on July 10 that it would restrict access to programs like community health centers, Head Start, and other...

Former Hammer Museum Director Receives Getty Prize, Awards $500,000 to NPR

July 18, 2025

July 18, 2025

Philbin’s tenure at the Hammer saw the launch of the Hammer Projects series and the Made in L.A. biennial, alongside...

LAX Metro Transit Center Boosts K Line Ridership, Overall Metro Sees Slight Decline

July 18, 2025

July 18, 2025

The station completes the K Line, allowing continuous service from Expo/Crenshaw Station to Redondo Beach and enhancing regional connectivity through...

Salt & Straw Celebrates Ice Cream Week with Strawberry Shortcake Waffle Cone Through the Weekend

July 18, 2025

July 18, 2025

The item launched nationwide, available with any ice cream flavor or as an exclusive sundae featuring Strawberry Honey Balsamic ice...

Man Arrested in Brentwood for Impersonating Firefighter During Palisades Fire

July 18, 2025

July 18, 2025

The suspect faces at least 28 criminal counts—including 23 felonies—spanning incidents from 2023 to May 2025 Federal and local law...

Study Highlights Economic Impact of Cap-and-Trade Extension in Los Angeles

July 18, 2025

July 18, 2025

Governor Gavin Newsom and legislative leaders are pushing to reauthorize the program this year, citing its role in generating 287,000...

Nearly $1B Secured for Refinancing of Westfield Century City Mall

July 17, 2025

July 17, 2025

The proceeds will replace a $925 million commercial mortgage-backed securities loan, originally issued by Morgan Stanley in 2023 and due...

West Coast Premiere of ‘The Opposite of Love’ Opens at Hudson Backstage Theatre

July 17, 2025

July 17, 2025

Produced by Neil Gooding Productions, behind shows like Back to the Future: The Musical, the play runs Thursdays through Saturdays...

Tesla Seen Nearly Crashing into West LA Home After Collision

July 17, 2025

July 17, 2025

Footage depicted a blue Prius on the road with significant front-end damage A crash involving injuries was reported around 12:30...

DUI Checkpoints to be Conducted Across LA This Weekend

July 16, 2025

July 16, 2025

The LAPD selects checkpoint sites based on data indicating high incidents of impaired driving-related crashes and arrests The Los Angeles...

Mayor Bass Hails National Guard Withdrawal as Victory for Unity

July 16, 2025

July 16, 2025

The Pentagon’s decision to reduce the troop presence follows weeks of legal challenges and public demonstrations Mayor Karen Bass celebrated...

(Video) Did You Know Emma Chamberlain’s Coffee Shop is in Century City?

July 16, 2025

July 16, 2025

The outpost is a first for the popular influencer Did You Know Emma Chamberlain’s Coffee Shop is in Century City?...

Dodgers to Host Back to School Bash for Fire-Affected Families

July 16, 2025

July 16, 2025

The free event will offer free groceries, school supplies, outfits, haircuts, medical screenings, and carnival rides The Los Angeles Dodgers...

Hundreds of Red-Legged Frog Tadpoles Released in Santa Monica Mountains

July 16, 2025

July 16, 2025

Once widespread in California, red-legged frogs vanished from the Santa Monica Mountains by the 1970s Nearly 600 California red-legged frog...

LA Sees Second Straight Year of Homelessness Decline, Leaders Celebrate Progress

July 16, 2025

July 16, 2025

The survey, designed by the University of Southern California, reported a 17.5% drop—the largest two-year decrease on record The Los...