University Worker Charged with Embezzlement

A former administrator at the University of California, Berkeley, has been charged with stealing about $90,000 in public money in order to pay for her children’s private school tuition.

UC Berkeley police Lt. Eric Tejada says 36-year-old Sonia Chante Waters turned herself in May 19 and was charged with nine felony counts of grand theft and embezzlement.

A court affidavit says she spent $17,000 of school funds to pay for tuition at cole Bilingue de Berkeley, a private French language school.

The Bay Area News Group reports that Waters previously pleaded guilty to embezzling from the Hartford financial and insurance company in 2009.

Despite the conviction, for which she served three years of probation and was fined $32,000, she continued in her $72,000-a-year job at the school.

Waters was free Friday on $75,000 bond.

For more information: The Oakland Tribune, http://www.oaklandtribune.com