Personal assistant pleads guilty to stealing $10M from elderly Salomon Bros. exec to buy Louis Vuitton, Gucci
By Taylor Herzlich
Published on April 9, 2026.
New York woman, Catalina Corona, has pleaded guilty to stealing nearly $10 million from her elderly employers, Richard Schmeelk and his wife, Salomon Brothers. From about 2017 to 2024, Corona deposited hundreds of checks written to cash from the late Schmealk and widow Priscilla's accounts to fund her lavish lifestyle, including high-end goods from Louis Vuitton, Cartier and Gucci. She faces a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison and restitution and fines. During her yearslong scheme, Corona allegedly spent more than $1 million on Louis Vuitt, hundreds of thousands of dollars at both Cartier & Gucci; and $305,000 on Apple products.
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