Pasadena Chamber of Commerce financial director accused of embezzling $1.6 million
Court documents allege that Jamie Huffar, aged 46 and the financial director of the Pasadena Chamber of Commerce, has misappropriated $1.6 million over the course of five years. The accusations suggest that Huffar spent the money on extravagant vacations and plastic surgery. Huffar faces a series of charges, including false statements to obtain credit, fraudulent use or possession of identifying information, misapplication of fiduciary property or property of a financial institution, and two counts of forgery of a financial instrument.
According to the charging documents, Huffar allegedly obtained a loan in the name of the Chamber of Commerce president on April 28, 2022, for an amount ranging from $30,000 to $150,000. Additionally, she is accused of forging signatures on July 23, 2021, in order to obtain at least $300,000.
According to a lawsuit brought by the Pasadena Chamber of Commerce, Jamie Huffar, in her capacity as a financial director, allegedly engaged in fraudulent activities, such as opening credit cards in the company's name and redirecting funds into her personal accounts. The lawsuit also alleges that two loans were obtained through Intria Ventures, LLC, with the assistance of Huffar, causing financial harm to the company.
Prosecutors claim that Huffar took all the profits from the Taste of Pasadena event, further contributing to the alleged wrongdoing. The Pasadena Chamber of Commerce Corporate asserts that it suffered actual damages, economic damages, and attorney fees. However, Huffar has denied all accusations made against her.
In Monday's court hearing, the prosecution alleged that the fraud had occurred for more than five years and stated that Huffar had traveled to various places, including the capital of Hungary, Budapest. The prosecution requested a $1 million bond for each charge, while the defense requested a $20,000 personal recognizance bond for each case, citing Huffar's current living situation with her parents and unemployment. However, the judge set Huffar's bond at $250,000 per charge, resulting in a total bond amount of $1,250,000.
This story was originally reported by Brittany Taylor.
Utilizing a professional investigator to conduct #backgroundcheck should be part of your SOP, not just when problems arise. Good leadership has a proactive approach to managing their investment. Invetech LLC helps clients mitigate financial loss by providing actionable insight solutions with due diligence investigation.