NEWARK, NJ
A California CPA today admitted stealing more than $4 million by abusing his positions at a worship center in New Jersey and at a non-profit in California, federal officials allege.
The CPA used the funds for his own use, including mortgage payments, luxury car payments and gambling expenses.
Donald Gridiron, 51, of Pomona, California, plead guilty before U.S. District Judge Kevin McNulty in Newark federal court to one count of wire fraud and one count of filing a false tax return, according to authorities.
Gridiron is facing up to 23 years in prison when he is sentenced on Dec. 14, officials said.
According to the evidence, these are the facts:
Agape Family Worship Center located in Rahway, New Jersey, hired Gridiron based, in part, on his connections with individuals in the religious community as well as his standing within that community.
The religious facility agreed to pay Gridiron a monthly salary and reimburse him for reasonable expenses related to his work. In addition, Gridiron was the treasurer for a non-profit entity registered in California.
Gridiron used his employment with the worship center and his status with the non-profit to illegally syphon money. In total, Gridiron transferred more than $4 million to accounts he controlled.
Gridiron also failed to report this income on his tax returns, including $950,000 he stole during the 2011 tax year.
The case was investigated by the FBI.