Volunteer treasurer charged with stealing $1M from charities

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — A volunteer treasurer for two Southern California charities is accused of embezzling more than $1 million from the nonprofit groups.

Jose Urrutia of Placentia was arrested Thursday. He’s charged with more than 180 counts of forgery and grand theft. It’s unclear whether he has an attorney.

Urrutia is a certified public accountant who volunteered with the Junior United Soccer Association in Anaheim and the International Seafarers Center in Long Beach.

Prosecutors allege that he wrote false checks and took money and personal property from the charities between 2008 and 2013.

Prosecutors say the thefts were discovered when a soccer association employee logged on to the charity’s bank account after Urrutia failed to respond to a payroll request.

If convicted, Urrutia could face up to 130 years in prison.