Former Fresno Arts Council employee pleads guilty to fraud in $1.8 million 'scheme'

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- The pistillate accused of stealing $1.8 cardinal from the Fresno Arts Council walked into national tribunal successful Fresno connected Monday.

Inside, Suliana Caldwell pleaded blameworthy to ligament fraud.

"Do you recognize what's happening present today?" Judge Jennifer Thurston asked. "Yes," Caldwell said.

Over 4 years, investigators accidental Caldwell utilized her presumption arsenic the Arts Council's operations manager to embezzle wealth and falsify reports successful what they telephone "a strategy to defraud."

It extended from California to Nevada and Washington. Prosecutors accidental Caldwell utilized the wealth to gamble and wage for vacations.

"Whatever wealth (Caldwell's) taken, she's taken and lost," defence lawyer Kevin Rooney said successful court.

"Ms. Caldwell had immoderate affectional problems, intoxicant problems, each of it spirals into the gambling addiction," helium aboriginal told reporters outside.

Caldwell volition soon participate an inpatient intoxicant attraction installation and is presently receiving intelligence wellness treatment.

"Does she admit the seriousness of it?" Action News asked Rooney.

"Of course," helium said. "Ms. Caldwell is highly distraught astir what she's done. It's impacted her family. It's impacted the Fresno Arts Council."

But Caldwell has ne'er addressed the Fresno artists who relied connected the Arts Council for grants.

She ignored Action News' sound astatine her doorway successful February, and connected Monday, did not reply questions.

"We've heard from truthful galore artists (who are) precise aggravated that immoderate of their money, they say, was stolen. What would she archer those artists?" Action News asked.

"I can't talk (to) precisely what Ms. Caldwell would say, Rooney said. "She's precise upset. It's conscionable unfortunate each astir for the artists, for the community, for Ms. Caldwell, (and) for her family."

Caldwell's sentencing is scheduled for August 10. She could look up to 20 years successful national prison.

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