A Huntington Beach woman was sentenced to 2.5 years in federal prison for embezzling nearly $3 million from a Southern California noodle company where she worked as an account manager, prosecutors announced.
Tae Miyaji Jones, 50, pleaded guilty in October 2025 to seven counts of mail fraud and three counts of wire fraud.
From December 2017 to July 2023, Jones used her position at Garden Grove-based Sanyo Foods Corporation of America to transfer money from corporate accounts into her personal bank accounts without authorization, according to court records.
In her role, Jones oversaw accounting and financial operations and had access to the company’s financial systems, bank accounts and records, along with check-signing authority.
Prosecutors said she used the stolen funds to buy diamond necklaces, pearl earrings and designer bags and wallets, as well as to pay for home mortgages, car loans and credit card bills.
To conceal the scheme, Jones falsified company records to make the transactions appear legitimate.
In one instance cited by prosecutors, Jones mailed a $42,600 company check in July 2023 to American Express to pay down her personal credit card balance, while falsely recording the payment as a vendor expense.
She also used some of the funds to purchase luxury items and real estate in Alabama and Hawaii, court records show, which she forfeited as part of the case.
In total, Jones admitted to embezzling more than $2.89 million, which she was ordered to pay in restitution.
“Our client cooperated with federal prosecutors and the FBI and has no prior criminal record,” Jones’ attorney Joseph Pittera said. “She regrets what she did and said so in court. Given her cooperation and the outcome of the case, we believe a sentence at the low end was fair.”
OC woman gets 2.5 years for embezzling nearly $3 million from noodle company
