Denise Ramirez and Evanthia Pappas met in 2006 when Pappas opened an account at the Bay Area credit union where Ramirez was a loan officer. Pappas moved to the area later that year, taking a job as a Sonoma County deputy district attorney, and her business relationship with Ramirez became a friendship.

In the spring of 2007 Pappas was diagnosed with a rare and often deadly form of breast cancer, already diagnosed as late-stage. She found a promising treatment, but had to raise $235,000 through donations in order to participate in the unfunded clinical trial.

The treatment money was deposited in the credit union where her new friend, Ramirez worked. Ramirez used Pappas’ information and $90,000 of her cancer treatment money to fund vacations, an online dating service, cell phone bills and other purchases and services.

“When I needed the money the most, the records show she pulled out 10 electronic payments and $29,500 in the course of four weeks, “ Pappas said in court.

Ramirez received a sentence of 365 days in county jail in return for providing details on all of her illegal transactions. If she fails to do within 30 days, she’ll serve nearly four years in a state penitentiary.

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