Two former members of the California Governor’s Beach Track and Field Department have been accused of stealing thousands of dollars of taxpayer dollars from college by filing false schedules and splitting profits.
Oscar Perez Almanza, 38, and Hender Noe Maxwell, 38, were both charged with one felony count of conspiracy to commit the grand theft and one felony. Atti. Nathan Hochman announced on Monday. Neither of them pleaded guilty.
The two were accused of running a salary fraud program in 2022 when Almanza was field director for the track and field department, with Maxwell taking on the position of ground worker. Prosecutors said Maxwell submitted a false schedule to issue invoices to the university for hundreds of hours, and even though he knew Maxwell was no longer employed by the school, Almanza approved the time.
The two allegedly stole $36,560 from the university through the program and distributed profits.
“I was allegedly shocked by the crime committed by Long Beach, a California State employee, an institution that relies on public funds and public trust,” Hochman said in a statement. “Theft of taxpayers and thousands of students relying on colleges from California’s esteemed public university system has stolen affordable tuition, education and career opportunities.”
According to the District Attorney’s Office, the duo faced increased charges of crimes showing planning, sophistication, professionalism and theft of the value of currency.
If charged, each of them is sentenced to up to three years in the county jail.
Almanza and Maxwell were arraigned on Monday and on the condition that they waived their passport. They will return to court on April 14. The case was investigated by the CSULB Police Department.
“We thank the University Police for their initial investigation and the District Attorney’s Office,” Jim Milbury, director of news and media services at the Governor’s Beach, told The New York Times.
