The former head of a foundation in Ventura County has been arrested on grand theft, and forgery charges. Ventura County prosecutors say Joanne Abruzzese stole more than $50,000 from the Simi Valley Community Foundation. The Simi Valley woman worked for the foundation for four years, including two as Executive Director. Prosecutors say she wrote checks from the foundation’s bank account to her home mortgage company. Foundation officials say they found evidence of fraud last year, which sparked an investigation leading to the arrest. Abruzzese is facing four felony counts, and if convicted could face up to five years behind bars.
Lance Orozco has been News Director of KCLU since 2001, providing award-winning coverage of some of the biggest news events in the region, including the Thomas and Woolsey brush fires, the deadly Montecito debris flow, the Borderline Bar and Grill attack, and Ronald Reagan's funeral.
