Nightclub bookkeeper behind bars after allegedly stealing over $3M

SAN DIEGO (CNS) – A Loma Portal woman was behind bars Thursday, facing embezzlement and grand theft charges, for allegedly stealing more than $3 million from a La Jolla nightclub where she worked as bookkeeper.

San Diego police arrested Tara Virginia Moore, 39, after serving a search warrant at her Plumosa Drive home on Wednesday morning, according to SDPD economic-crimes Lt. James Filley.

Moore was identified as a suspect in the case during a year-long investigation into the extensive monetary losses at Jack's La Jolla, a high-end restaurant-bar that closed two years ago “as a direct result of this theft,” Filley said.

In her home, where she lives with her Navy-physician husband and three young children, detectives seized more than $400,000 worth of antiques, furniture, paintings, exotic Italian silk curtains and other items allegedly bought with the embezzled funds, the lieutenant said.

Moore worked at the multi-story Girard Avenue nightspot for about four years, starting in 2005.

Most of the missing money remains unaccounted for, according to Filley.

“There's millions that we haven't found,” he said. Moore is the sole suspect in the alleged embezzlement, Filley said.

She is being held at Las Colinas women's jail in Santee on $2.5 million bail pending arraignment, scheduled for Friday afternoon.