NNP

Catalina Vasques Villalpando

Biography

(L98)

Born in San Marcos, Texas. Attended five colleges including Southern Methodist. Business specialist with U. S. Department of Commerce 1973 to 1978. Senior vice president of Communications International 1985 to 1989.

Active in Republican Party politics. Staff assistant with White House Office of the President. Special assistant to President Reagan 1983 to 1985. Chairman of the Republican National Hispanic Assembly 1987 to 1990.

Served as Treasurer of the United States from December 11, 1989 to January 20, 1993. Her signature appears on Federal Reserve Notes, series of 1988-A and 1990. Her signature, at 26 letters, was the longest on U.S. paper money. It appeared on more currency ($355 billion) than any preceding Treasurer.

On October 29, 1992, she was placed on administrative leave during an FBI investigation of possible conflict of interest. On February 17, 1994, she pleaded guilty to tax fraud, obstructing a federal investigation and lying to government officials. She was sentenced to four months in prison. 

Later employed at the Amerix Corporation call center.

bio: Mexican American Biographies 1988; Who's Who Among Hispanic Americans 91-92; WWA 92-93; WWAW 93-94 (listed as Secretary of the Treasury)