P. v. Mastrodimos
Jacqueline Mastrodimos pled guilty to four counts of forgery of checks. (Pen. Code, § 470, subd. (d).)[1] The trial court sentenced Mastrodimos to four years in prison and, pursuant to section 1202.4, imposed restitution orders in favor of three different parties, including an order in the amount of $165,358.10 in favor of Norma Clark for professional fees that the victim of the crimes owed Clark for investigating the fraud and restoring the victim's good financial standing. Mastrodimos challenges that restitution order, arguing among other things, that the order was improper because Clark was not a victim of the crimes. We conclude that Mastrodimos's argument has merit. Accordingly, we reverse the portion of the judgment awarding restitution to Clark, and we remand with directions for the trial court to hold a further restitution hearing to determine whether some or all of Clark's fees should be the subject of an additional restitution award to the victim.
Comments on P. v. Mastrodimos