In a bombshell report from the Desert Sun and reporter Janet Wilson, The Mojave Desert Land Trust said that it had been swindled out of $325,000 three years ago by a former employee. The organization told the Sun that it had taken swift action to beef up its bookkeeping and accounting processes and reported the alleged theft to law enforcement as soon as it learned of it in June 2023.
You can find the full story here: Mojave Desert Land Trust alleges staff member stole more than $325,000
San Bernardino County Supervisor Dawn Rowe issued a statement, saying “It is horrendous when funds are stolen or misappropriated from any nonprofit. However, it’s even worse when it happens to a nonprofit that receives grant funding from state or federal entities, such as the California Wildlife Conservation Board, which has given the organization taxpayer-funded grants.”
She called for a higher level of audit measures in place to ensure taxpayer dollars are secured.
UPDATED 5:30 p.m.:
A representative of the Mojave Desert Land Trust provided this statement on the investigation:
The Mojave Desert Land Trust was the victim of embezzlement perpetrated by a former employee in 2022. The issue was discovered through our annual financial audit process. We immediately alerted the San Bernardino County Sherriff’s office who has been investigating the case. An independent forensic accountant was hired to ensure no additional financial crimes had been perpetrated in the last five years, and concluded there was no evidence of further wrongdoing. The funds, totaling $325,000, were stolen from an unrestricted operating account and were not tied to any specific funder, donor or grant entity. An insurance policy was in place to recover this type of loss. Our system of financial controls allowed for a swift discovery and assessment of the situation and a number of systemic changes have been made across our organization to protect our finances. The case has transferred to the District Attorney. This is an ongoing investigation. Further questions should be addressed to the San Bernardino County District Attorney’s Office.
