An Irvine woman convicted of stealing $285,000 from a group of Catholic nuns was sentenced to 37 months in prison on Friday.

Last November, a federal jury determined Linda Rose Gagnon, 59, was guilty of three counts of wire fraud related to a real estate scheme.

Gagnon had promised in 2008 to use the funds to buy a retirement home in San Diego for the nuns of the Rhode Island-based U.S. Province of the Religious of Jesus & Mary, telling the nuns she was an expert in short sale and foreclosure transactions.

Instead, prosecutors said Gagnon used the money to lease an Audi TT sports car, travel, dine, and to buy “lingerie, groceries, manicures … and valet pet-sitting services for her dog,” according to a statement from the U.S. Attorneys office.

The money was also used to keep her unprofitable Tustin-based Rose Enterprises Inc. business afloat, according to the statement.

“She was flat broke when she got the money,” said Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Keenan.

Gagnon will be required to begin her prison sentence by June 13 and pay full restitution to the nuns.

She faced a maximum of 60 years in prison. Prosecutors had asked for a 57-month sentence, but the federal judge took into account Gagnon’s lack of a prior criminal history and character references, Keenan said.

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