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California Fast-Food Manager Admits Stealing $232,282 From Jack in the Box To Feed Gambling Problem
Oct 24, 2026, 16:55 UTC
Markets
Oct 24, 2026, 16:55 UTC
Oct 24, 2026, 16:55 UTC1 min read
A California fast-food manager has admitted to stealing more than $232,000 from his restaurant to feed a gambling problem.
Juan Jose Antonio Vanegas, 30, pleaded no contest on October 20th to felony embezzlement by an employee over cash he took from the Jack in the Box he managed on Woodside Road in Redwood City, reports Casino.org.
Court records show Vanegas held back 120 bank deposits of restaurant revenue between January 1st and August 1st of 2025 and kept the cash for himself.
He admitted that nearly all of the $232,282 he took went toward gambling.
Prosecutors say a business accountant uncovered the theft.
Vanegas had previously pleaded not guilty. Under a plea agreement, San Mateo County prosecutors agreed to drop an enhancement charge in exchange for his no-contest plea. The enhancement could have allowed Judge Jeffrey Jackson to impose the maximum sentence upon conviction.
As part of the plea deal, the judge will be asked to sentence Vanegas to up to one year in county jail and no state prison time.
In California, an employee convicted of embezzling more than $200,000 can face more than two years in state prison.
Vanegas is scheduled to be sentenced on December 10th and remains free on a recognizance bond until then.
