The former chief financial officer of an unnamed trade association in San Francisco has been federally indicted and arrested on charges of embezzling more than $520,000, authorities announced today.
Robert Bradley Strahan, 51, of San Francisco, was arrested in the city on Friday and made an initial appearance before a federal magistrate that day, according to U.S. Attorney Melinda Haag.
An indictment issued under seal by a federal grand jury on May 28 alleges that he embezzled more than $520,000 between December 2007 and April 28, 2014, from an association for which he served as bookkeeper and accountant. The indictment was unsealed after Strahan’s court appearance on Friday.
The organization, described as a nonprofit trade association based in San Francisco, is identified in the indictment only by the initials M.E.
The indictment alleges Strahan carried out the scheme by writing checks to himself or to “cash,” using the organization’s credit cards to buy personal items, making false entries in the group’s books and sending falsified financial statements to its board of directors.
Strahan is accused of three counts of wire fraud related to email messages he sent the board of directors and two counts of mail fraud related to packages he ordered with an association credit card. The indictment was unsealed after his court appearance Friday.
Strahan pleaded not guilty to the five counts before U.S. Magistrate Jacqueline Scott Corley on Friday and was ordered held in custody until a bail hearing before U.S. Magistrate Maria-Elena James on Wednesday.
He is scheduled to appear before U.S. District Judge Thelton Henderson, the trial judge assigned to the case, on July 7.
Each count carries a possible maximum sentence of 20 years in prison if Strahan is convicted.
Strahan is also known as Robin Bradley and Kaola Bradley Strahan, according to the indictment.
Julia Cheever, Bay City News
