California IN BRIEF : SACRAMENTO : 3 Charged With Defrauding State

A former accounting clerk with the legislative analyst’s office and two other Sacramento residents have been arrested on charges they defrauded the state out of $119,000. The attorney general’s office said the three concocted an elaborate plot to forge state checks and bill the state for airline tickets for trips that were not taken. Charged with conspiracy to embezzle public funds and tax violations are Diana Stuller, 31, the former legislative analyst’s office employee; Willie Cabrera, 39, a former employee of Davis Travel Service, and Patricia Rommel, 32, Stuller’s sister. Agents said Stuller and Cabrera are accused of illegally charging the analyst’s office for more than $28,000 worth of airline tickets. Stuller also is charged with forging state checks totaling $86,445.