| For Immediate Release Case # 09CF2167
September 2, 2009 |
Susan Kang Schroeder Public Affairs Counsel Office: 714-347-8408 Cell: 714-292-2718 Farrah Emami CPA TO BE |
ARRAIGNED FOR STEALING $49,000 FROM ROTARY CLUB BY DEPOSITING MONEY INTO PERSONAL ACCOUNT WHILE SERVING AS CLUB TREASURER
SANTA ANA – A Certified Public Accountant will be arraigned today on charges of stealing $49,000 from the Los Alamitos Rotary Club (LARC) by transferring money into his personal account while serving as the club treasurer. Patrick David Dugan, 49, Huntington Beach, is charged with one felony count of grand theft and two felony counts of money laundering. If convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of four years and four months in state prison. The defendant will be taken into custody on $49,000 bail when he surrenders to the court today, Thursday, Sept. 3, 2009, for arraignment at the Central Justice Center in Santa Ana. The time and Department are to be determined.
Dugan, a Certified Public Accountant, had worked as the financial officer for LARC since 1998 and was solely responsible for maintaining the club’s financial records and presenting financial statements to the executive board and club members. Between December 2005 and December 2007, Dugan is accused of stealing $49,000 from LARC by transferring the money from the club into his personal account. Dugan is accused of attempting to hide the embezzlement by altering LARC’s financial statements.
In April 2008, Dugan became ill and was unable to perform his duties for LARC. The theft was discovered in May 2008 when members of the club noticed discrepancies between official bank records and the financial reports presented by Dugan. LARC reported the theft to the Los Alamitos Police Department, who referred the case to the Orange County District Attorney’s Office for investigation to avoid the appearance of a conflict of interest.
Deputy District Attorney Marc Labreche of the Major Fraud Unit is prosecuting this case.
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