| For Immediate Release Case # 07CF0398
November 4, 2009 |
Susan Kang Schroeder Public Affairs Counsel Office: 714-347-8408 Cell: 714-292-2718 Farrah Emami |
FORMER ORANGEWOOD CHILDREN’S FOUNDATION CFO SENTENCED TO 12 YEARS IN PRISON AND OVER $1.15 MILLION IN RESTITUTION AND FEES FOR STEALING $780,000 IN DONATIONS
SANTA ANA – The former Chief Financial Officer for Orangewood Children’s Foundation was convicted today of stealing more than $780,000 in donations from the non-profit foundation. Tracy Lynn Salcido, 40, Yorba Linda, pleaded guilty to the court to 206 felony counts of forgery, 20 felony counts of falsifying records, and sentencing enhancements for aggravated white collar crime over $500,000 and loss over $150,000 and $100,000. She was sentenced to 12 years in state prison and ordered to pay over $1,150,000 in restitution to cover her theft and attorney and accounting fees incurred by the foundation.
Between March 1999 and July 2005, Salcido worked as the Chief Financial Officer for Orangewood Children’s Foundation (Orangewood), a Santa Ana non-profit that shelters and supports children who are the victims of abuse, neglect, or abandonment. During this time, the defendant stole more than $780,000 from Orangewood by forging 206 checks from Orangewood’s accounts to another business, United Retailer/United Convenience Stores.
Salcido worked as the primary accountant for United Retailer/United Convenience Stores, which was owned by her father-in-law. After illegally depositing Orangewood funds into the account of the other business, Salcido withdrew the money and used it for personal expenses. The defendant attempted to hide her theft by underreporting donation revenue received by Orangewood and overstating the foundation’s expenses.
The theft was uncovered in August 2005, when an Orangewood accounting supervisor discovered a forged check, which led to an audit of the foundation’s finances.
Deputy District Attorney Marc Labreche of the Major Fraud Unit prosecuted this case.
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