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Arrest warrant issued in foundation theft case
Former employee suspected in $100,000 loss

by Kelsey Mesher

An arrest warrant was issued Dec. 24 for a former Silicon Valley Community Foundation employee suspected of stealing $100,000 from the organization, according to the Mountain View police department.

Frances Louise Stewart, 52, was still being sought by the police on Dec. 29, as the Voice went to press. Police spokesperson Steve McCoy said he could not give out any more information until an arrest was made.

On Monday the foundation announced that it had fired an employee on suspicion of theft.

"Our finance department noticed a discrepancy, and they began trying to figure out what was going on," said Rebecca Salner, vice president of marketing and communications for the nonprofit, located at 2440 West El Camino Real near Showers Drive in Mountain View.

An internal investigation was launched, and on Dec. 9 the case was turned over to the Mountain View Police Department. Stewart worked in the foundation's human resources department, Salner said.

"The theft was identified by our finance department as a result of internal controls and we intend to pursue every possible remedy to ensure that restitution is made to the community foundation," said CEO and President Emmett D. Carson in an e-mail.

"The incident remains under investigation by external authorities and the community foundation is engaging a forensic accountant to provide further assistance as needed," said a statement on the organization's Web site.

The statement emphasized that the money taken was from "flexible spending accounts" that are used for employee health care and dependent care expenses. The monies were not budgeted for any philanthropic grants or programs, the statement said.

Any money that is not recovered will be covered by insurance, the statement said.

The Community Foundation oversees donations to numerous local nonprofit organizations, and in 2008 awarded $264 million in grants.

E-mail Kelsey Mesher at kmesher@mv-voice.com ?? ?? ?? ??

Posted by Tom Delany, a resident of the Old Mountain View neighborhood, on Dec 30, 2009 at 2:55 pm

I hope they catch that greedy person soon!