A Southern California lady entrusted with tons of of hundreds of {dollars} raised to assist a beloved highschool soccer workforce was arrested by the FBI Thursday morning for stealing greater than $411,000 to pay her mortagage and bank card payments.
Federal brokers collared Julie Hanway Molina, 56, at her home in Aliso Viejo dwelling simply after daybreak. Officers carrying flack jackets and carrying pistols surrounded suburban, two-story dwelling the place Melina lived after which known as on a bullhorn for her to “come out together with your palms up.”
Molina emerged from the entrance door a couple of minutes later. She wore a glance of shock as she was cuffed and positioned in a black sedan by federal officers. She is charged with 4 federal counts of wire fraud.
Los Angeles’ prime federal prosecutor Invoice Essayli mentioned her alleged actions characterize a critical breach of belief and that prosecutors will search a stiff jail sentence.
“This defendant was entrusted by the neighborhood with safeguarding cash raised for younger adults. She violated that belief and is now a charged felon,” Essayli instructed The California Publish. “Our prosecutors are dedicated to holding her absolutely accountable, together with in search of a federal jail sentence.”
Molina was treasurer of an Orange County nonprofit described within the federal indictment as a volunteer group established to advertise and improve a highschool soccer program.
The indictment doesn’t title the sufferer nonprofit. Based mostly on public sources recognized incouirt paperwork, nevertheless, the sufferer seems to be the Wolverines Soccer Membership, the group that funds the Wolverines soccer workforce at Aliso Niguel Excessive Faculty.
Aliso Niguel Excessive Faculty is public highschool withing the Capistrano Unified Faculty District serving college students in grades 9 by means of 12 from the communities of Aliso Viejo and Laguna Niguel. Positioned on Wolverine Means, it has been acknowledged as a California Distinguished Faculty.
Aliso Niguel’s beloved sports activities groups are often known as the Wolverines. The soccer workforce is particularly common. In 1996, the varsity’s varsity workforce went undefeated and received the CIF-SS Division VIII championship. Its file within the present season is 0-3.
The federal indictment, returned by a grand jury on Sept. 2, alleges Molina stole roughly $411,761.54 belonging to the group supposed to fund the workforce.
Prosecutors say the alleged scheme started in or round 2023 and continued by means of round November 2025.
Molina’s place as treasurer gave her vital entry to the nonprofit’s funds.
In accordance with the indictment, Molina’s obligations included co-signing checks, making needed disbursements accepted by the board and membership, receiving dues and different cash, sustaining information of receipts and expenditures, and offering monetary statements to the board.
Prosecutors allege that Molina used that entry to divert cash with out the nonprofit’s data or authorization.
The indictment particularly alleges that a number of the cash went towards the mortgage on her private residence and bank card bills.
In June 2023, Molina allegedly wired roughly $131,523 from the nonprofit’s checking account in Laguna Hills by means of Federal Reserve amenities in New Jersey and Texas to an account in Santa Ana to pay the delinquent steadiness on the mortgage on her private residence.
Federal prosecutors additionally allege that Molina tried to hide the alleged diversion by emailing board members false treasurer stories that didn’t disclose the alleged misappropriation.
Molina’s position with the soccer group was publicly identified earlier than the federal case.
In 2024, she was recognized because the soccer membership’s treasurer in reference to Senior Night time, an occasion held earlier than the soccer sport at Aliso Niguel Excessive Faculty on Friday, Sept. 20.
On the time, Molina spoke concerning the emotional significance of the occasion for households.
“It is a special day for us to rejoice,” mentioned Molina. “It may be very emotional, particularly for the moms seeing their youngsters all grown up.”
The federal indictment alleges the cash was diverted as a part of a scheme involving interstate wire communications.
Molina is predicted to make her preliminary look and be arraigned Monday in United States District Courtroom in Santa Ana.
If convicted, Molina would face a statutory most sentence of 20 years in federal jail for every depend. Prosecutors are additionally in search of forfeiture if Molina is convicted.
The indictment identifies a $1.4 million dwelling on Poplar Drive in Aliso Viejoamong the property the federal government may search to forfeit, together with property or proceeds traceable to the alleged offenses.
If the property can’t be forfeited, prosecutors search a cash judgment equal to its worth.
The indictment additionally accommodates provisions for substitute property below specified circumstances.
Molina has been charged, however the allegations within the indictment stay unproven until and till established in courtroom.
