DETROIT – The chief operating officer of a Detroit non profit and the principal of one of the schools it served are accused of teaming up to embezzle more than $100,000 from the orgnaization.
The Wayne County Prosecutor's Office says Cecilia Zavala, COO of Esperanza Detroit, and Rudolfo Benevides-Diaz, principal of Western International High School in Detroit, embezzled the money between November 2011 and May 2014. Zavala is accused of using the money to pay for restaurants, personal vacations at expensive hotels, jewelry and a car. She allegedly was using the organization's credit and debit cards without authorization.
Watch July, 2014 report from Defenders: Charity embezzlement investigation
Esperanza Detroit was a non profit organization that provided services and in-house counselors to at-risk students at Western International High School and other Detroit Public Schools. Irregularities with some checks issued by the organization were noticed by the Detroit Public School's Office of the Inspector General in April 2014, prompting an investigation.
Accoridng to the Prosecutor's Office, from October of 2013 through May of 2014, Diaz is alleged to have received checks totaling $10,400 written on the Esperanza account and misappropriated the money for his personal use. The checks were for consulting services that he never performed.
Benevides-Diaz is alleged to have conspired, and, aided and abetted Zavala in embezzling money from Esperanza.
"The allegations in this case reveal a complete disservice to and disregard for the students and the community as a whole," said Prosecutor Kym L. Worthy.
Detroit Public School Emergency Manager Darnell Earley said the school district has been and will continue to cooperate with Worthy's office.
Charges:
Zavala is charged with:
1. Embezzlement over $100,000
2. Embezzlement over $1000 -- Non-profit
3. Embezzlement over $1,000
4. Conspiracy to Embezzle
5. Embezzlement over $1,000 -- Non-profit
6. Conspiracy Embezzlement -- Non-profit
7. Using a computer to commit Embezzlement over $100,000
8. Using a computer to commit Embezzlement from a non-profit over $1,000
Diaz is charged with:
1. Embezzlement over $1,000
2. Conspiracy Embezzlement
3. Embezzlement over $1,000 -- Non-profit
4. Conspiracy to Embezzle -- Non-profit
Zavala and Benevides-Diaz were arraigned Wednesday. Zavala received a $100,000 bond while Benevides-Diaz received a $25,000 bond.