Ex-finance chief of Sonoma Boys and Girls Club arrested on embezzling charges

The former finance director of the Boys and Girls Club of Sonoma Valley was arrested on suspicion of embezzling nearly $9,000 from the group, Sonoma County sheriff’s officials said.

Robyn Lieberman-Cabrera, 37, of Santa Rosa was booked into the Sonoma County Jail on Friday on suspicion of embezzlement and grand theft, Sgt. Cecile Focha said. She was released on $10,000 bail.

“Those funds could have been used for program supplies, personnel to provide services to the children, to drive our mission,” David Pier, the club’s chief executive officer, said.

Detectives suspect Lieberman-Cabrera transferred at least $6,300 from club accounts to her personal PayPal account, Focha said. She’s also suspected of making a variety of unauthorized purchases, including at least $405 worth of online purchases sent to her home, according to Focha.

Lieberman-Cabrera was the director of finance and human resources for the club from January 2005 until she resigned in January 2014. Reached by phone Tuesday, Lieberman-Cabrera declined to comment on her arrest. She also declined to state why she resigned from the club.

Pier said they suspect the money was taken between 2011 and 2013.

The apparent theft did not show up in an annual audit, but staff noticed the transfers and unauthorized purchases this summer. After discussing the findings with the board of trustees, Pier and executive board member Michael Kimball went to the sheriff’s Sonoma Valley substation Aug. 14 and reported their suspicions that Lieberman-Cabrera had stolen from the organization.

“We were very surprised and saddened; she’d worked at the club here for almost 10 years,” Pier said.

Pier said the club has a variety of internal controls that they have since bolstered to reduce the risk of such a theft happening again.

The Sonoma Valley chapter of the Boys and Girls club opened in 1962. It serves 500 children daily at five sites throughout the valley.

You can reach Staff Writer Julie Johnson at 521-5220 or julie.johnson@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter @jjpressdem.