Gambling 'At All Hours of the Day': Ex-Virginia Prosecutor Caught Stealing Restitution Checks Meant for Victims to Cover His Own Debts Over Two Year Period, Now Faces Decades In Prison

Gambling 'At All Hours of the Day': Ex-Virginia Prosecutor Caught Stealing Restitution Checks Meant for Victims to Cover His Own Debts Over Two Year Period, Now Faces Decades In Prison

A former prosecutor in Virginia who was accused of embezzling and laundering money intended for crime victims and using the funds to settle his gambling debts recently pleaded guilty to felony charges in connection with the scheme. James Panagis Jr., who served in the Virginia Beach Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office from 2015 to 2022, pleaded guilty to embezzlement of more than $500, two counts of uttering a forged check, and two counts of embezz…