VENTURA, California – District Attorney Gregory D. Totten announced today that Thousand Oaks resident Anita Laureen Edwards (DOB 1/25/1960) pled guilty on May 22, 2019, to five counts of felony grand theft, one count of felony dependent adult theft, and two counts of non-sufficient fund thefts. The conviction was the result of an investigation conducted by the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office and the District Attorney’s Bureau of Investigation.
Edwards, who was previously convicted of the unlicensed practice of law, misrepresented herself to a victim as being a paralegal under the supervision of attorneys. Edwards was not actually under attorney supervision as required. Edwards convinced the victim to allow her to set up a trust account with the victim’s money. Edwards then stole $187,000 of the victim’s money to fund a lavish lifestyle, including the purchase of season tickets, a Mercedes Benz, travel, restaurants, and personal expenses.
Edwards will be ordered to pay full restitution to the victim and is expected to be sentenced to four years in the Ventura County jail. Edwards is scheduled to be sentenced on June 20, 2019, at 9:00 a.m. in courtroom 12 of the Ventura County Superior Court.
The Ventura County District Attorney’s Office is the public prosecutor for the county’s 850,000 residents. The office employs approximately 280 employees including attorneys, investigators, victim advocates, and other professional support staff who strive to seek justice, ensure public safety, and protect the rights of crime victims.
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