FORMER CHP OFFICER AND EMPLOYEE CLUB PRESIDENT SENTENCED TO 30 DAYS JAIL FOR EMBEZZLING MONEY FROM CLUB

Case # 17WF1147

Date: May 23, 2018

FORMER CHP OFFICER AND EMPLOYEE CLUB PRESIDENT SENTENCED TO 30 DAYS JAIL FOR EMBEZZLING MONEY FROM CLUB

WESTMINSTER, Calif. – A former California Highway Patrol (CHP) officer was sentenced to 30 days in jail for embezzling funds from a CHP employee club of which he was the president.

Defendant

Charges

Sentence

Mark Matthew Linza, 41, Huntington Beach

Pleaded guilty today to:

  • One misdemeanor count of embezzlement by fiduciary of trust
  • 30 days in county jail
  • Three years of informal probation
  • Restitution

Circumstances of the Case

  • In January 2014, Linza was selected as the president of “The 670 Club” (Club), a social organization intended to promote camaraderie among employees of the CHP Westminster Area.
  • The defendant was in control of the club bank account and took a series of steps that allowed his activities as club president to remain unmonitored.
  • Upon being placed in control of the Club bank account, Linza obtained an ATM card for the account, a practice which had never been employed by prior presidents.
  • On Feb. 7, 2014, the defendant withdrew $1,000 cash from the Club bank account and deposited $800 cash into his own personal bank account.
  • On Dec. 15, 2015, the defendant made a cash withdrawal from the Club account for $120 and deposited the same amount in cash into his own personal account.

CHP investigated this case.

Prosecutor: Senior Deputy District Attorney Paul Chrisopoulos, Special Prosecutions Unit