Former El Dorado Hills resident Julia A. Wilbert, 53, pleaded guilty Jan. 17 to theft of government benefits.

According to court documents, from June 2007 through March 2015, Wilbert stole approximately $112,275 in federal government benefit payments intended for her aunt, who died in June 2007. Wilbert’s aunt was an eligible recipient of Dependency and Indemnity Compensation benefits paid by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs. Wilbert had exclusive access to her deceased aunt’s bank account, was the individual who reported her aunt’s death, and proceeded to perform periodic transfers of thousands of dollars of VA benefit money from that account to her own bank account.

When confronted, Wilbert admitted that she had been acting out of “personal greed.” Wilbert has agreed to pay back the full amount to the government as a part of her plea agreement.

Wilbert is scheduled to be sentenced April 18. She faces a maximum of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

— Lake Tahoe News staff report