Fashion Island embezzler sentenced to jail time

Greg Risling

NEWPORT BEACH -- A Corona del Mar woman who worked at a popular Fashion

Island clothing store pleaded guilty Thursday to stealing more than

$65,000 from her employer.

Cynthia Maxfield, 39, was sentenced to a minimum of four months in Orange

County Jail on the condition that she complete an eight-month program at

a halfway house. If she doesn’t fulfill the requirements set forth by

Orange County Superior Court Judge Craig Robison, Maxfield will be

remanded back to jail.

Maxfield worked at the At Ease clothing store for more than four years

and apparently pilfered cash from the business throughout her tenure. The

thefts were cashless accounts in which she falsified customer returns and

credited the amounts to any one of her six credit cards.

Some of her former co-workers, who said they considered her a friend,

were appeased by the judge’s decision.

“The judge was very fair,” said company president Steve Knutson. “We are

thrilled about the judge’s decision that basically says, ‘fraud won’t be

tolerated in this county.’ The message was definitely sent to her.”

In addition to jail time, Maxfield can no longer possess credit cards,

open any accounts or take a job that allows her to deal with daily cash

flow. She was also sentenced to three years of probation.

Most upsetting for At Ease employees was the trust they instilled in

Maxfield, only to see her betray them, her former colleagues said.

Linda Brink, who also works at the store, kindled a friendship with

Maxfield last year. The two women traveled to Europe, taking a whirlwind

trip through London and Paris. It was Brink’s first trip to Europe.

Maxfield also endeared herself to Brink’s 31-year-old daughter, who was

suffering from a brain tumor.

“Here she is, befriending my daughter, and then she is taking money from

some of our commissions,” Brink said. “It dawned on me then that she was

pretty ruthless.

“I feel sorry for her. I hope she does some soul-searching and can help

someone out someday. There has to be some good from the bad.”

The embezzlement had a lasting effect at the Fashion Island store.

Prospective employees now undergo thorough background checks and their

applications are sent to a firm that analyzes them for any dishonest

tendencies. All the measures were adopted after Maxfield was arrested

last year.

Knutson said there haven’t been any cash shortages since Maxfield left,

but he said the store’s image has been damaged.

“Our reputation has been hurt, something that probably won’t go away for

years,” he added.