LOS ANGELES, CA – Two men are facing felony charges after allegedly stealing tens of thousands of dollars from California State University, Long Beach (CSULB), by submitting fraudulent timesheets tied to the university’s Athletics Department, prosecutors said Tuesday.
According to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office, Oscar Almanza, a current CSULB employee, and Hender Maxwell, a former grounds worker, are accused of conspiring to steal more than $36,500 in public funds between January and December 2022.
Prosecutors allege that following Maxwell’s departure from the university, he continued to submit falsified timesheets certifying hundreds of hours of work he did not perform. Those hours were then allegedly approved by Almanza, who was employed at the time as a field supervisor in the Athletics Department and was aware that Maxwell was no longer working for CSULB.
The District Attorney’s Office said the pair split the fraudulent wages once the university processed the payments. In a statement, prosecutors described the case as one that involved “planning, sophistication, and professionalism” and noted the significant financial loss involved.
Almanza and Maxwell have each been charged with one felony count of grand theft and one felony count of conspiracy to commit grand theft. Both men pleaded not guilty at their arraignment Tuesday and were released under the condition that they surrender their passports. Their next court appearance is scheduled for April 14.
If convicted on all counts, they each face up to three years in county jail.
“I am appalled at the brazen acts of criminality allegedly committed by employees of California State University, Long Beach—an institution that depends on public funding and public trust,” said District Attorney Nathan Hochman in a written statement. “Stealing from California’s venerated public university system steals from taxpayers and the thousands of students who rely on the university for affordable tuition and educational and career opportunities.”
CSULB, part of the 23-campus California State University system, has not issued a public statement regarding the charges. The university serves more than 38,000 students and is among the state’s largest public institutions.
The investigation into the alleged fraud remains ongoing.
