Stockton Miracle Mile Director Allegedly Admits Misusing Company Credit Card
STOCKTON (CBS13) — After nine businesses abruptly closed along Stockton's Miracle Mile for fire safety code violations, the district's executive director is now in hot water after admitting misusing the company credit card.
Lawyers for the district say Mimi Nguyen spent thousands of dollars on personal items—something she reportedly admits.
Naimah Muhammad helps run a business along Stockton's Miracle Mile, which lately has taken a lot of negative hits.
"It's just embarrassing," she said.
In June, nine of her neighbors were forced out of their storefronts after city inspectors found many fire safety code violations. And now, the executive director of the miracle mile has confessed to allegedly embezzling thousand dollars from the district.
"She was a great student, she went to Davis and then she comes here and ruins it," said Muhammad.
During a recent meeting with the district's board president, Nguyen not only resigned from her position but disclosed – over the last three years she had been using the company credit for personal reasons.
"She said she would repay it. She asked for us not to prosecute her, that she would reimburse us the money," said attorney, Mike Hakeem, who represents the Miracle Mile District.
Lawyers for the district say Nguyen told the board president she spent $40,000 mostly on clothing and cosmetics, but a closer look into their books showed she had spent more than that -- close to $50,000.
"We're not aware of any other aberrations in behavior or personality. We had no idea this was occurring," he said.
Lawyers representing Nguyen say she knows she did something wrong by misusing the company credit card and wants to pay every single penny back and move on from this situation. But the board says it's now up to the district attorney.
"The district attorney will receive a report from the police department; after the police department does its investigation, they will render a report to the DA, and the district attorney will decide how to charge the crime," said Hakeem.
The board is now reviewing its policies and making the appropriate changes before hiring a new executive director so something this doesn't ever happen again.
