By Ronnie Nathanielsz

THE wife of Manny Pacquiao?s driver Joseph Jose and who took the trusting boxing icon for a ride, has been charged with one count of grand theft and 32 counts of forgery before the Los Angeles Superior Court.

The Contra Costa Times reported that 27-year-old Pia Anatalia Quijada was accused of stealing more than $89,000 from the Wells Fargo, Sunset Boulevard bank account of Pacquiao.

Quijada pleaded not guilty to the charge that she had forged Pacquiao?s signature on 32 checks and cashed them beginning Jan. 27, 2007. Quijada, who was arrested by the Los Angeles police last Monday, is in jail because of her failure to post bail placed at $90,000.

Pacquiao, who had earlier learned about the court appearance, was busy shooting a new Alaxan commercial, according to Team Pacquiao chief-of-staff Jake Joson.

Joson informed Standard Today that according to Pacquiao, the money he lost (through the forged checks) had not been returned to him by the bank, neither did he know when it will be returned or whether it will be returned at all.

He said Pacquiao?s driver had claimed he had separated from his wife, although www.insidesports.ph, Standard Today and Viva Sports earlier learned that the driver suddenly appeared to be wearing signature shoes, a new watch and other fancy items during the period of the alleged theft by his second wife.

The systematic siphoning of funds from a $200,000 deposit made in December 2006 and which Pacquiao had apparently forgotten about, broke during Pacquiao?s training for his March 15 rematch with Juan Manuel Marquez from whom he won the World Boxing Council super featherweight title via a split decision.

When he opened the account, Pacquiao was accompanied to the bank by Jose and his wife and used the couple?s Los Angeles address, which resulted in all checks and other bank account information being sent to that address.

Standard Today, www.insidesports.ph and Viva Sports learned that Quijada started issuing pay-to-cash checks in small amounts of $300 and gradually increased the amounts until she averaged between $11,000 and $12,000 a month.

Quijada also transferred some $40,000 from Pacquiao?s Sunset Boulevard account to a newly opened account in Wells Fargo, Burbank.

Pacquiao adviser Michael Koncz discovered the caper when he received a call from Vilma Rodriguez, assistant vice president of the Wells Fargo branch in Hollywood, inquiring whether Pacquiao still remembered he had an account with the bank.

Koncz called Pacquiao, who said he had forgotten about it and immediately went to the bank and discovered that only $19,000 remained in his account.

Former outstanding Philippine Basketball Association import Francois Wise confirmed in a telephone conversation at that time that Pacquiao had gone to the LA station at Venice and LaBrea and filed a complaint.

Fed up over individuals who took advantage of her husband?s kindness and generosity and propensity to forgive those who wronged him, Pacquiao?s wife Jinkee told him she wanted Quijada jailed and to be taught a lesson, even as she asked her husband to be careful because people were ?taking advantage of his kindness and his penchant to forgive because of his generous heart.?