What’s at stake:
Suliana Caldwell, a former manager at the Fresno Arts Council who was in charge of the nonprofit’s books, siphoned $1.82 million from the organization over the span of at least three years and nine months through more than 300 unauthorized transfers. She used the funds to gamble at casinos and pay for vacations among other things. Caldwell is expected to enter a guilty plea to one felony count of wire fraud in federal court later this month.
Suliana Caldwell of Fresno is expected to plead guilty to one felony count of wire fraud in connection with a $1.82 million embezzlement case.
As operations manager at the Fresno Arts Council, Caldwell was in charge of the books. The nonprofit arts organization’s bank accounts and finances were under her control. She also ran payroll.
According to charging documents filed in federal court, Caldwell would transfer funds from…
CLICK HERE to read the FULL Ex-Fresno Arts Council manager admits to wire fraud – Fresnoland article.
This remains the most prevalent form of financial crime globally. It targets the direct access points to your money: your cards and your bank accounts.
- Skimming: Criminals use small devices called “skimmers” placed over ATM or point-of-sale card slots to capture the data from your card’s magnetic strip.
- Card-Not-Present (CNP) Fraud: This occurs during online shopping where a physical card isn’t required. Thieves use stolen card numbers, expiry dates, and CVV codes to make unauthorized purchases.
- Account Takeover (ATO): A hacker gains access to your online banking credentials (often through malware or phishing) and changes the contact details or passwords, locking you out while they drain your funds.
