Posted on 02/18/2026 6:56:37 PM PST by Libloather
A nonprofit executive is accused of stealing $132,000 in public money to pay for plastic surgeries, credit card bills and luxury vacations — including a trip to Disneyland.
Amy Knox, who was COO of Harm Reduction Coalition of San Diego, allegedly blew up to $30,000 of the cash on breast implants, a tummy tuck and arm and thigh lifts.
The 45-year-old spent another $94,000 on buying purebred dogs, training them, martial arts classes and a trip to Hawaii, prosecutors claim.
The alleged fraudster, who also went by the names Amy Hernandez and Amy Ketchum, had been living in a palatial $1.3 million home in Alpine, San Diego, and also owned a second home.
The cash had been earmarked for free anti-overdose medication and fentanyl tests for drug users in the city, raised by tax contributions and philanthropic grants.
Harm Reduction Coalition CEO Tara Stamos-Buesig told the California Post she first noticed Knox’s theft of public funds in May.
(Excerpt) Read more at nypost.com ...
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In her case, I hope not.
Can we get some pictures to determine guilt or innocence?
It generally does not start with the intention of ripping people off. You just want something and you do not have quite enough money so you "borrow". You will pay it back. And maybe you do. The first time. But it will happen again and again.
If you are in a position of trust never take out that first unauthorized loan. It does not lead anywhere nice.
Just how much augmentation happened?
Lane Pryce learned that lesson from Don Draper.
I need to go back and re-watch Mad Men again. The first few seasons were IMHO the best television, ever.
She should be entitled to a refund. Or the doctors did a miracle work for the final product.
They always think they will pay it back. Out of all the people I have ever found fiddling the books only one actually paid it back and never did it again. Or maybe he was just a lot more clever about it.
Amy Knox at arraignment
Looks to me like a whole lot more work is needed
THAT’S 45? In what, Pluto years?
Pakistani bitch.
Her excuse? "If I hadn't stolen the money, we would have made a profit!"
Regards,
No surprise.
Didn’t even try to hide it.
“breast implants”
Are big boobs something that women really obsess about? A, B, and C cups aren’t enuff? Dolly Parton probably had back issues from hers.
“They always think they will pay it back. Out of all the people I have ever found fiddling the books only one actually paid it back and never did it again.”
Frank Abagnale Jr. has said in interviews and talks that if someone steals money from your business and you know who they are, one practical (and slightly ironic) step is to issue them a Form 1099 for the amount they stole.
Here’s the idea as he explains it:
1. Treat the stolen money as taxable income to the thief
Abagnale points out that under U.S. tax law, illegal income is still taxable income. The IRS requires people to report income “from whatever source derived,” including money obtained unlawfully.
So if someone embezzles $10,000 from your business, that $10,000 is technically taxable income to them.
Why this works (according to Abagnale)
His reasoning is:
The IRS doesn’t care how the person got the money — they care that taxes are paid.
The IRS has strong enforcement power.
Sometimes tax consequences create additional legal pressure on the offender.
He frames it as using the tax system as leverage when criminal prosecution may be slow or uncertain.
He goes on to explain how instead of reporting the stolen money as income, you could first set up an agreement with the thief to pay the money back. If the agreement is broken, report the income to IRS.
Of course there are lots of nuances here. Pretty cool.
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