27-Year-Old Fundraising Assistant Charged with Embezzlement

A young former fundraiser for the Boys and Girls Clubs of Southwest County has been charged with embezzlement. Authorities claim she stole a laptop and a trip to New York that was meant to be sold at auction to raise funds.

Murrieta, CA (prHWY.com) December 10, 2012 - Temecula, California - A 27-year-old former fundraising assistant for the Boys and Girls Clubs of Southwest County was facing embezzlement charges for allegedly stealing a laptop and a trip for four to New York. The laptop and the New York trip were intended to be auctioned off to raise money for the nonprofit organization.

C.H., of Menifee, California was charged with felony embezzlement, she asked that all questions be referred to her attorney Nic Cocis. Attorney Cocis said that since he hadn't yet received the police reports in his client's case, it was too soon for him to comment.

According to Maryann Edwards, the CEO of the Boys and Girls Clubs of Southwest County, C.H. was working as an administrative assistant who was in charge of the fundraising; she also said that C.H. was no longer working for the Boys and Girls Clubs of Southwest County.

After receiving reports about the embezzlement, the Riverside County Sheriff's Department began investigating the case. Contained within an arrest warrant, the officer noted that the officials of the nonprofit had discovered the Sony laptop was missing. The laptop was donated for fundraising and was supposed to be sold at auction; however, no one had bid on it.

The Boys and Girls Clubs were also auctioning off several vacation packages, and the nonprofit had arranged for a travel agency to handle the final arrangements with the winning bidders. One of those packages included a four-day trip to New York; C.H. had contacted the travel agent and had the agent book the trip for her and her boyfriend, and her parents who lived in Texas. The New York trip cost around $3,800.

After searching C.H.'s private residence, investigators discovered the missing laptop in her master bedroom. C.H. was arrested, and she later posted bond. She was subsequently charged with embezzlement for her role in taking the laptop and the trip to New York

In the state of California, embezzlement is covered under Section 503-515 of the California Penal Code. Embezzlement is defined as the fraudulent appropriation of property by someone to whom the property was entrusted. In California, anyone who is found guilty of embezzlement is punishable under the state's theft laws. In California, grand theft occurs when someone steals money, labor, or property that is valued more than $950.00. (California Penal code Section 487)

Grand theft is a "wobbler" in the state of California; this means it can be charged as a misdemeanor or a felony offense. The penalties for grand theft will depend on a number of factors including the person's criminal history and the circumstances surrounding the case. If it is charged as a misdemeanor, the person faces up to 1 year in jail and a maximum $1,000 fine. If it is charged as a felony, the defendant faces 16 months to 3 years in a California State Prison, and a maximum $10,000 fine.

Whenever someone is facing grand theft charges, it's extremely important that they hire an aggressive criminal defense attorney. The penalties in a grand theft case vary widely, and often times the outcome of the case relies heavily on the defense attorney's knowledge, skill, and ability to speak persuasively before the prosecution and the judge. In C.H.'s case, her attorney Nic Cocis would do everything within his power to find mitigating circumstances that would convince the prosecutor to accept a plea agreement which would dramatically improve the outcome of her case.

Nic Cocis is the founder of the Law Office of Nic Cocis & Associates, located in Temecula, California. Attorney Cocis has been serving Riverside County and the surrounding areas since 1999. The firm is 100% devoted to litigation, and it handles virtually all types of criminal offenses including DUI, juvenile matters, burglary, grand theft, white collar crimes, and murder. Attorney Cocis is a member of the California State Bar, the Supreme Court of the United States of America, the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals, and the Central, Eastern, and Southern U.S. District Courts of California. In every case that he accepts he works tirelessly to defend his client's rights and to get their penalties and charges dramatically reduced if not dropped entirely as in the embezzlement case discussed earlier. To schedule a confidential consultation with attorney Cocis, please call (951) 842-2347 or you can visit the firm's website online at http://www.northlawgroup.com.

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Categories: Law

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