Former Chula Vista Councilwoman Andrea Cardenas and her brother Jesus Cardenas pleaded guilty Feb. 28 to two felony counts of grand theft after they obtained a COVID-relief loan for their political consulting business and then used the money for personal expenses.
The second count is for having obtained unemployment benefits without a valid reason.
Andrea Cardenas, 32, will be sentenced Aug. 28 and is expected to receive probation for an unspecified period.
Her brother, Jesus Cardenas, 41, will be sentenced March 27 and is expected to be sentenced to two years probation.
Attorneys for both siblings are expected to ask the judge to have the felony charges reduced to misdemeanors.
The siblings were charged with multiple fraud charges, including conspiracy to commit a crime, money laundering, conspiracy to defraud, failing to file tax returns, and other charges, related to a fraudulent $176,227 loan for their firm, Grassroots Resources.
The loan was obtained in early 2021 through the Paycheck Protection Program to keep employees who worked at their firm on payroll, but the siblings used it for personal expenses, including a $33,500 check to Andrea Cardenas’ Chula Vista City Council campaign account.
Both will have to pay restitution fees and, as part of their pleas, six additional felonies will be dismissed.
Andrea Cardenas resigned from the Chula Vista City Council Feb. 19 as a result of the charges.
Her attorney, Pedro Bernal, said that Ms. Cardenas is “remorseful for what she’s done,” but then added, “that doesn’t take away from the service that she’s given to her community.”
