$1.5 million in Measure P funds embezzled from Fresno Arts Council, city says

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- A Fresno Arts Council worker is accused of embezzling astir $1.5 cardinal successful Measure P funds, according to a associated connection from Fresno Mayor Jerry Dyer, Council President Mike Karbassi and Council Vice President Nelson Esparza.

EDITOR'S NOTE: The video supra is from a erstwhile broadcast and volition beryllium updated.

City officials said they were notified connected the evening of Feb. 5, 2026, by a committee subordinate of the Fresno Arts Council that a longtime worker of the enactment had embezzled the funds. Dyer says the worker was nary longer moving for the Arts Council erstwhile the metropolis recovered retired astir the embezzlement.

The Fresno Police Department initiated a transgression probe the pursuing day, the connection said.

RELATED: FBI, Fresno Police analyse alleged $1.5 cardinal embezzlement of payer funds

The embezzlement involves a rhythm of backing totaling $5,710,556 that was provided to the Arts Council connected Oct. 1, 2024. Those funds were to beryllium distributed to members of the section arts community, but a percent remains unpaid due to the fact that of a shortage of funds caused by the embezzlement.

The City of Fresno denied the Arts Council's October 2025 backing request, citing the Arts Council's nonaccomplishment to supply capable documentation to warrant anterior expenditures, arsenic required.

The City of Fresno said it volition present administer the adjacent rhythm of backing and has canceled its declaration with the Arts Council to administer immoderate aboriginal Measure P funding. The metropolis volition besides behaviour a forensic fiscal probe of the Arts Council.

RELATED: Fresno Arts Coalition calls for transparency successful Measure P assistance process

"It is the City's intent to utilize aboriginal Measure P backing to marque those organizations full who were owed wealth by the Arts Council," the connection said, adding that however that process volition hap has not yet been determined.

"The Mayor and members of the City Council are appalled by the deficiency of safeguards enactment successful spot by the Fresno Arts Council, which yet allowed this embezzlement to occur," the connection said. "The nonaccomplishment of $1.5 cardinal of payer dollars is unacceptable. The City of Fresno volition prosecute each disposable avenue to retrieve these hard-earned payer funds up to and to see litigation."

Measure P, formally known arsenic the Fresno Clean and Safe Neighborhood Parks Transactions and Use Tax, was approved by 52% of voters successful November 2018. The 3/8cent income taxation began collecting gross connected July 1, 2021, pursuing ineligible challenges, and was expected to make $34 cardinal annually, an mean of $39 per household each year.

While the bulk of Measure P backing is designated for gathering and maintaining parks and recreation facilities, 12% of the funds are earmarked for expanding entree to arts and culture.

Organizations that person not yet been afloat compensated are encouraged to telephone 559-621-2999 oregon email ExpandedArts@fresno.gov, on with their statement with the Fresno Arts Council and immoderate different applicable information, metropolis officials said.