Former CFO Pleads Guilty To Embezzling Over $900,000 From Non-Profit Employer

SAN FRANCISCO – Robert Bradley Strahan, a/k/a Robin Bradley, a/k/a Kaola Bradley, pleaded guilty on Nov. 3 2014, to wire fraud, mail fraud, and tax evasion, announced United States Attorney Melinda Haag, FBI Special Agent in Charge David J. Johnson, and Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation, Acting Special Agent in Charge Thomas McMahon.

In pleading guilty, Strahan admitted to embezzling more than $920,000 from a non-profit trade association in San Francisco where he worked as the chief financial officer. Strahan’s responsibilities included bookkeeping, payroll, and accounting. As the CFO, he had complete control over and access to the association’s books, records, and bank accounts. Without the knowledge or authorization of the non-profit trade association, Strahan wrote and cashed checks payable to himself and to “Cash” totaling over $550,000; he used the association’s credit cards to make unauthorized purchases totaling over $250,000; and he put an acquaintance on the payroll who received over $120,000 but did almost no work. To conceal the money that he embezzled, Strahan made false entries in the association’s accounting systems as well as emailing false financial statements to the board of directors that omitted the funds he was taking for his personal use. Finally, Strahan did not pay income taxes on any of the money he embezzled for calendar years 2009 through 2013, resulting in tax due and owing of over $175,000.

Strahan, 51, of San Francisco, was charged by superseding indictment on Aug. 7, 2014, with three counts of wire fraud, two counts of mail fraud, and two counts of tax evasion. Under the plea agreement, Strahan pleaded guilty to two counts of wire fraud, one count of mail fraud, and one count of tax evasion. Strahan was arrested on May 30, 2014, and has remained in custody since then.

Strahan’s sentencing hearing is scheduled for Feb. 9, 2015, before the Honorable Thelton E. Henderson, United States District Court Judge, in San Francisco.

The maximum statutory penalty for each count of wire fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C § 1343, is 20 years imprisonment and a fine of $250,000. The maximum statutory penalty for each count of mail fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C § 1341, is 20 years imprisonment and a fine of $250,000. The maximum penalty for tax evasion, in violation of Title 26 U.S.C. § 7201, is five years in prison and a fine of $250,000. However, any sentence following conviction would be imposed by the court after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553.

Hallie Hoffman is the Assistant U.S. Attorney who is prosecuting the case with the assistance of Bridget Kilkenny. The prosecution is the result an investigation by the FBI and the IRS, Criminal Investigation.

(Strahan superseding indictment )