A co-owner of a Sunnyvale pizzeria has been sentenced to probation for embezzling about $350,000 from the business, the Santa Clara County District Attorney's Office announced Friday.
Mario Landino, 74, of San Jose, funneled money directly from Giovanni's New York Pizzeria into his own bank accounts and into casinos in California and Las Vegas, prosecutors said.
He also was accused of using the money for his personal expenses.
He worked as the bookkeeper for the business.
Landino was convicted after a jury trial on felony embezzlement, forgery and tax evasion, prosecutors said.
The embezzlement was discovered in 2011 when the other co-owner of the business became suspicious and began looking closely at bank records of the business, and an audit and the ensuing investigation showed the embezzlement went on from at least 2006 to 2012, prosecutors said.
Investigators determined Landino spent more than $1 million gambling at casinos during that time period.
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Landino conceded his 50 percent stake in the business as restitution, prosecutors said.
