Skip to main content
Press Release

Mary Holden Ayala Charged with Theft of Over $800,000 From Oregon Foster Care Agency Give Us This Day

For Immediate Release
U.S. Attorney's Office, District of Oregon
Ayala arrested in Mississippi on federal charges

PORTLAND, Ore. –A federal grand jury in Portland has charged Mary Holden Ayala, 56, a longtime resident of Portland, with theft of over $800,000, money laundering and filing false personal tax returns. Ayala served as the President and Executive Director of Give Us This Day (GUTD), an Oregon state-licensed private foster care agency and residential program for hard-to-place foster youth, until its closing in September of 2015.

The indictment alleges that between 2009 and 2015, Ayala embezzled at least $800,000 in GUTD funds intended to support foster care services, children and families. In addition to other crimes, the indictment also alleges that Ayala filed false personal income tax returns in tax years 2009 through 2014, and failed to file a personal tax return in 2015.

FBI agents arrested Ayala on May 9, 2017 in Holly Springs, Mississippi. She appeared before a Magistrate Judge in Oxford, Mississippi on May 10, 2017. A separate detention hearing will be held later this week. The government will seek to detain Ayala based on the risk she may fail to voluntarily appear in Oregon if released. Ayala will remain in federal custody pending the outcome of this hearing.

An indictment is only an accusation of a crime, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

This case was investigated by the FBI, the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General and the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigations.

A copy of the indictment is included as an attachment to this release.

Updated May 10, 2017

Component