Former director of nonprofit that raised money for Capistrano Unified School District pleads guilty to embezzlement

The former executive director of a nonprofit foundation that raised money for the Capistrano Unified School District was sentenced to 180 days in jail and five years of probation after pleading guilty Wednesday to embezzling funds.

Michelle Hart – accused by prosecutors of embezzling $42,000-plus – pleaded guilty to three felony counts of misappropriation or embezzlement of monies by a public officer, while three other, similar counts were dismissed, court records show.

Hart, 44, of Fresno served as executive director of what was then known as the Capistrano Unified School District Foundation from May 2014 to December 2017. She resigned after the the theft allegations came to light.

Prosecutors alleged that Hart wrote checks to herself and made unauthorized purchases with the foundation’s bank card. Authorities have not outlined what she was suspected of doing with the stolen money.

Hart has already paid back about $10,000 of the stolen funds, said Kimberly Edds, a spokeswoman for the Orange County District Attorney’s Office. As part of the plea deal, Hart was ordered to pay back an additional $18,000.

The embezzlement, along with other financial-transparency concerns, helped lead to a rift between the school district and the foundation. A year ago, Capistrano Unified School District leaders asked the foundation to stop using the district’s name to raise money.

A civil lawsuit was also filed on behalf of the foundation against Hart. That lawsuit has been settled, though the terms of that agreement have not been publicly disclosed.