Assistant U. S. Lawyer Mark Conover (619) 546-6763
NEWS RELEASE SUMMARY – August 4, 2022
SAN DIEGO – Chris Benavides, former finance director at La Jolla Music Society, was sentenced in federal courtroom right now to 30 months in jail for embezzling greater than $650,000 from the non-profit over a 10-year interval. Benavides was additionally ordered to pay a minimal of $650,000 in restitution.
Benavides oversaw the budgeting course of and human sources. Through the years he frequently claimed that many employees wage will increase weren’t attainable as a result of budgetary constraints. Nonetheless, throughout that very same interval, Benavides was stealing for himself a median of about $65,000 per yr.
Forensic evaluation revealed that over time Benavides’ theft turned an increasing number of refined. He frequently deliberate his theft prematurely of every fiscal yr, budgeting for the quantity that he would take over the subsequent 12 months and imbedding these bills in varied finances strains. This ensured that not one of the expense strains would present conspicuous variances when reviewed by different employees, board members or auditors. It was additionally found he frequently signed or solid checks for his private profit and made false entries within the books to cover what he was doing.
“Mr. Benavides exploited his place of belief with the La Jolla Music Society by stealing month after month for over a decade,” mentioned U.S. Lawyer Randy Grossman. “His greed and deception have had an enduring influence on this non-profit. As we speak, he has been held to account for his crimes.” Grossman thanked the prosecution workforce and FBI brokers for his or her wonderful work on this case.
“La Jolla Music Society trusted their Director of Finance to safeguard the non-profit’s funds, however Benavides had a special plan,” mentioned Particular Agent in Cost Stacey Moy of the FBI’s San Diego Discipline Workplace. “As an alternative, the defendant strategically calculated yr over yr to systematically steal from his employer, selfishly lining his personal pockets. As we speak’s sentencing sends a transparent message to Benavides that he will likely be held accountable for his crimes, however greater than that, it supplies justice for the victims, to allow them to hopefully start to maneuver ahead into a brand new chapter.”
DEFENDANT Case Quantity 22cr3042-CAB
Chris Benavides Age: 52 San Diego
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Wire Fraud – Title 18, U.S.C., Part 1343
Most penalty: Twenty years in jail and $250,000 positive, or twice the acquire/loss, whichever is bigger
AGENCY
Federal Bureau of Investigation
