Former non-profit employee accused of embezzling over $40K from organization
Former VP accused of stealing from 'Heart of United Way'
The former Senior Vice President of Human Resources at Heart of Florida United Way is facing charges after investigators say he embezzled more than $40,000 from the nonprofit.
ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. - The former Senior Vice President of Human Resources at Heart of Florida United Way is facing charges after investigators say he embezzled more than $40,000 from the nonprofit.
Investigators say Jonathon Adler used company credit cards for personal gift cards and billed the nonprofit for events that never happened.
What happened?
The backstory:
The investigation revealed that between June 2023 and July 2024, Adler executed a sophisticated, two-part scheme to defraud Heart of Florida United Way.
The first, investigators say, Adler used corporate credit cards to purchase thousands of dollars in gift cards at major retail chains, including Publix, Target, and CVS. He then allegedly concealed the theft by altering receipts and fabricating corporate credit logs. Some of them were labeled as legitimate operational costs like food, event supplies, and staff incentives.
And the second alleged scheme, according to the report, Adler set up fictitious businesses via the Square App and billed HFUW for non-existent services, laundering the funds directly into his personal checking account.
Among the charges were a $5,000 expense for a "Black History Sponsorship" and a $4,850 fee for a "Platinum Sponsorship."
When confronted, investigators say Adler stated he "just wanted to have fun."
What are the charges?
What they're saying:
Adler made his initial court appearance on Thursday, where a judge outlined the charges brought against him.
"The warrant listed the charges as a scheme to defraud greater than $20,000 but less than $50,000, grand theft greater than $20,000 but less than $100,000, money laundering, communications fraud, and unlawful use of a two-way communication device," the judge stated during the hearing.
The judge set Adler's bond at $27,500.
Preventing financial fraud
Financial experts emphasize that internal checks and balances are crucial when handling organizational funds.
"Making sure that you have someone review your books, confirm that these are valid transactions through management, and having internal and external audits is critical to making sure that fraud is not transpiring in your company," said Wendy Woods-Gordon, a local financial controller.
Nonprofit response
Heart of Florida United Way confirmed that Adler was employed with the organization from December 2021 until July 2024.
In a brief statement, the organization noted that they have no further comment at this time, as the matter remains an ongoing investigation.
The other side:
FOX 35's Alexus Cleavenger reached out to Adler for comment regarding the allegations and received this response:
"Hello, this is advisory legal counsel for Jonathon Adler. Thank you for reaching out. At this time, we have no comment. I have not yet been able to confer with my client regarding whether he would like to make a statement. If, after we have had an opportunity to speak, he wishes to provide a statement, I will contact you. Feel free to reach out here if you need anything else."
The Source: This story was written based on information shared by the Orange County Sheriff's Office and from filings in the Circuit Court of the Ninth Judicial Circuit.