FBI arrests Orange County football treasurer for alleged $411,000 fraud
Federal agents detained Julie Hanway Molina, 56, in Aliso Viejo on four wire-fraud counts after prosecutors say she stole more than $411,000 from a high-school football nonprofit.
Julie Hanway Molina, 56, was arrested by FBI agents at her Aliso Viejo residence after officers used a bullhorn to demand she surrender with her hands up. Charged with four federal wire-fraud counts, Molina is accused of misappropriating $411,761.54 from the Wolverines Football Club, a nonprofit that funds the Aliso Niguel High School football team. The indictment says she began the scheme around 2023, using her treasurer duties—such as co-signing checks and handling dues—to funnel money to her personal mortgage and credit-card obligations, including a $131,523 wire transfer in June 2023.
Prosecutors claim she also sent false financial reports to the board to conceal the theft. Los Angeles federal prosecutor Bill Essayli called the conduct a serious breach of trust and said the government will seek a substantial prison term and forfeiture of her $1.4 million property. Molina will appear for arraignment in United States District Court in Santa Ana, where a conviction could carry up to 20 years per count.
Why it matters
The case highlights risks of financial mismanagement in community nonprofits and the legal consequences of embezzlement.
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