Ex-Sony Exec, Friend Charged in Scam

A former Sony Pictures vice president and another woman were charged in a theft and money-laundering scam at the studio involving about $500,000, the Los Angeles County district attorney said.

Georgett Sue Studnicka, 60, a former vice president of music publishing for Sony Pictures Entertainment, and Linda Sue Brooks, 55, a friend of Studnicka’s, were each charged with one count of grand theft and three counts of money laundering.

Studnicka also is charged with evading state taxes in 1997, 1998 and 1999.

Studnicka’s job included overseeing the sale and leasing of music used in Sony films. Studnicka allegedly authorized payments to a company created by Brooks in 1991, and the payments grew to more than $100,000 by 1998, although Sony never received anything for these payments, according to the district attorney’s office. Studnicka and Brooks could not be reached for comment.

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Corie Brown