Emilio Vazquez |
SANTA ANA -- The former operator of an Orange County charter school has been charged with allegedly stealing more than $3 million of taxpayer money.
The charges were outlined in a criminal complaint unsealed Thursday.
Authorities allege Emilio Vazquez set up front companies, then illegally funneled large sums of money intended for the school to those companies that he controlled. In 2006, Vazquez abruptly closed the school, and a short time later, prosecutors say, he left the country.
"He had good reasons not to hang around," Orange County Senior Deputy District Attorney Douglas Brannan told KTLA.
Those reasons were hightlighted in an audit ordered by the Orange County Department of Education and a subsequent investigation by the Orange County district attorney's office.
Vazquez was arrested in Madrid, Spain two weeks ago and the D.A. is working on getting him extradited back to the U.S. to face the charges.
If convicted on all the charges against him, Vazquez could be sentenced to up to 25 years in prison.
The charges were outlined in a criminal complaint unsealed Thursday.
Authorities allege Emilio Vazquez set up front companies, then illegally funneled large sums of money intended for the school to those companies that he controlled. In 2006, Vazquez abruptly closed the school, and a short time later, prosecutors say, he left the country.
"He had good reasons not to hang around," Orange County Senior Deputy District Attorney Douglas Brannan told KTLA.
Those reasons were hightlighted in an audit ordered by the Orange County Department of Education and a subsequent investigation by the Orange County district attorney's office.
Vazquez was arrested in Madrid, Spain two weeks ago and the D.A. is working on getting him extradited back to the U.S. to face the charges.
If convicted on all the charges against him, Vazquez could be sentenced to up to 25 years in prison.
