Former Goodwill Sacramento CEO Richard Alan Abrusci was arrested Thursday for allegedly embezzling more than $1 million from the nonprofit organization, according to authorities.
The U.S. Eastern District of California Attorney’s Office issued a press release stating Abrusci, 45, is charged with nine counts of wire fraud, one count of aggravated identity theft and three counts of monetary transactions involving proceeds of specified unlawful activity.
Abrusci started working for the nonprofit organization in 2014, operating a chain of retail stores in California and Nevada, according to court documents. By 2016 he was named chief operating officer; in 2018 he was elevated to president and CEO. (RELATED: Non-Profit Director Indicted For Allegedly Stealing Millions From Program Providing Meals To Poor Children)
Authorities alleged that from 2016 to 2021 Abrusci “fraudulently caused the non-profit organization and one of its subsidiaries to pay approximately $1.4 million to Resolution Arrangement Services (RAS).”
Former Goodwill Sacramento CEO arrested, accused of stealing more than $1 million from the nonprofit | Click on the image to read the full story https://t.co/mMGVfpyCUR
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The RAS was allegedly a “fictitious business name” Abrusci had created in 2008, along with a bank account he allegedly opened the same year, according to the press release. (RELATED: Couple Allegedly Steals $91,000 From Youth Soccer Club For Vacations, Parties)
“Abrusci caused the fraudulent payments into the RAS bank account that he controlled by using various false documents, including invoices and purchase orders,” the attorney’s office stated.
“In one instance, Abrusci used a forged letter purporting to be from an attorney representing the non-profit organization to convince the organization’s CFO to pay RAS $55,000 under false pretenses related to a lawsuit.”
Abrusci claimed payments to the RAS were supposedly for “information-technology service, helping to facilitate settlement of a lawsuit” and assisting the organization in running California call centers during the pandemic, the press statement reported.
Authorities, however, found the RAS “provided one of the services” it had billed the company for.
The nonprofit CEO is facing a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for each of his nine wire fraud counts, 10 years in prison and the same fine for each of his three monetary transactions counts and two years in prison for aggravated identity theft, according to the attorney’s office.
The next meeting between prosecutors and the defense will occur Feb. 8, according to KCRA.