California woman accused of embezzling $400k from high school football team

A California high school football team is out more than $400,000 after its former treasurer allegedly embezzled the money from the program, according to a press release from the Central District of California U.S. Attorney's Office. Julie Hanway Molina, 56, was arrested Thursday, Sept. 10, at her ho

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A California high school football team is out more than $400,000 after its former treasurer allegedly embezzled the money from the program, according to a press release from the Central District of California U.S. Attorney's Office.

Julie Hanway Molina, 56, was arrested Thursday, Sept. 10, at her home in Aliso Viejo, Calif., and is expected to make an initial appearance in U.S. District Court in Santa Ana, where she faces four counts of wire fraud.

Molina served as treasurer of a nonprofit organization supporting the Aliso Niguel High School football team, where she allegedly carried out a scheme to defraud the nonprofit between 2023 and November 2025 by diverting money from its bank account for personal expenses.

Prosecutors allege Molina misappropriated

a total of $411,761, using some of the money to pay her delinquent home mortgage and credit card bills, according to the release.

The allegations detail that Molina wired approximately $131,523 from the organization's bank account in Laguna Hills through Federal Reserve facilities in New Jersey and Texas to an account in Santa Ana.

Julie Hanway Molina, 56, of Aliso Viejo, was arrested today on a federal indictment charging her with defrauding a nonprofit that supports an Orange County high school football team out of approximately $411,761.

Molina, the organization’s former treasurer, is accused of… https://t.co/2qU2ggHlls

— F.A. United States Attorney Bill Essayli (@USAttyEssayli) September 10, 2026

Prosecutors said she also allegedly emailed members of the nonprofit's board falsified treasurer reports to conceal the transactions.

If convicted, Molina could face up to 20 years in federal prison on each wire fraud count, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.

Follow Sports Reporter Alex Martin on X at @NP_AlexMartin or via email: amartin@usatodayco.com. For additional high school sports coverage, be sure to follow USA TODAY High School Sports on Instagram and X.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: California woman accused of embezzling $400k from high school football team