Former CFO Sentenced To Three Years In Federal Prison For Embezzling Over $9 Million From SF Seafood Wholesaler

SAN FRANCISCO – Antonietta Nguyen was sentenced to 36 months in federal prison for her role in orchestrating multiple fraud schemes against ABS Seafood, Inc., a seafood wholesaler in San Francisco where Nguyen previously served as Chief Financial Officer.  Senior U.S. District Judge Susan Illston handed down the sentence on November 14, 2025.  

At the conclusion of a two-week trial in June 2025, a federal jury convicted Nguyen of 12 felony counts, including wire fraud, conspiracy to commit wire fraud, money laundering, and tax evasion.  According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Nguyen used her access to ABS Seafood’s bank account and credit cards to divert millions of dollars to pay off her personal credit card, pay personal expenses on her corporate credit card, and authorize payment of fraudulent invoices from a seafood exporter in the Philippines that was formally owned by Nguyen’s brother.  Nguyen used the stolen funds to pay property taxes for her residence and a rental property, her children’s college tuition, and over a million dollars in luxury goods, among other expenses.

From at least 2015 and continuing into 2020, Nguyen misappropriated approximately $2.7 million in company funds.  Nguyen traveled the world to purchase luxury purses, scarves, and other items, which she stored in a designated room in her home.  She also provided corporate credit cards to her family members and authorized charges including luxury vacations that were ultimately paid for by ABS Seafood.

The Court found that over the course of six-and-a-half years, Nguyen cost ABS Seafood over $9 million through her fraud schemes.

The jury also convicted Nguyen of evading federal taxes by failing to report her true income from ABS Seafood.  Nguyen’s personal income taxes omitted the millions in benefits that she received from ABS Seafood through the payment for personal expenses.  In total, the Court found that Nguyen owed an additional $121,336.08 in unpaid taxes related to the unreported income.

United States Attorney Craig H. Missakian, FBI Special Agent in Charge Sanjay Virmani, and IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) Oakland Field Office Special Agent in Charge Linda Nguyen made the announcement.      

In addition to the prison term, Judge Illston also sentenced the defendant to a three-year period of supervised release.  The defendant will begin serving the sentence on February 6, 2026.  A restitution hearing is scheduled for January 16, 2026.  

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sailaja M. Paidipaty and Colin Sampson are prosecuting the case with the assistance of Sara Slattery.  The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the FBI and IRS-CI.