By Michael Martinez, CNN
updated 6:11 PM EST, Fri February 15, 2013
Los Angeles (CNN) -- The first woman mayor of San Diego has acknowledged in court she misappropriated more than $2 million from her late husband's foundation to fund a casino gambling habit with which she allegedly won and lost $1 billion over nine years.
Her attorney said a brain tumor affected Maureen O'Connor's judgment in playing video poker. She's now broke and suffering cognitive impairment following brain surgery and a stroke in 2011, prosecutors said.
O'Connor, mayor of San Diego from 1986 to 1992, reported to the IRS more than $1 billion in casino winnings but also reported losses bigger than those winnings, resulting in a net loss from 2000 to 2009, prosecutors said in court papers.
Those net losses amounted to $13 million, her attorney said.
