Ex-Fresno Arts Council manager pleads guilty to $1.8M fraud. Lawyer cites addictions
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- Suliana Caldwell pleaded guilty in federal court to one count of wire fraud.
- Prosecutors say she siphoned nearly $2 million from Measure P Fresno Arts Council funds.
- Caldwell admitted altering and misreporting financial figures and will be sentenced on August 10.
The former operations manager for the Fresno Arts Council, who is accused of stealing $1.8 million from the organization, pleaded guilty Monday in federal court to one count of wire fraud.
The 46-year-old Suliana Caldwell made her first court appearance after being charged by federal prosecutors in connection to the stolen city funds. She agreed to a plea deal with prosecutors and to paying restitution of no more than $1.8 million.
A despondent looking Caldwell said very little during her arraignment before U.S. District Judge Jennifer L. Thurston. Caldwell is accused of siphoning off $1.8 million from the voter-approved Measure P funds intended to expand access to arts and culture.
Starting in June 2022, prosecutors allege Caldwell began making unauthorized transfers from the Fresno Arts Council bank accounts to her own personal PayPal and to her bank account.
Caldwell admitted to Fresno police detectives and agents with the Federal Bureau of Investigation that she hid her embezzling by altering and misreporting financial figures.
Caldwell’s defense attorney, Kevin Rooney, said his client’s actions were complicated by her addictions to alcohol and gambling, and mental health.
“Miss Caldwell had some emotional problems, alcohol problems, all of it spirals into the gambling addiction,” Rooney said outside of the courtroom. “This behavior is all part of the same thing.”
She is currently in treatment for her illness and will soon enter a 30-day alcohol addiction treatment program.
Rooney added that Caldwell is “extremely distraught” about what she’s done.
“It’s impacted her family. It’s impacted the Fresno Arts Council. Miss Caldwell is, personally, a huge supporter of the arts, and she’s very upset about the whole situation, which, of course, it’s due to some of her actions,” Rooney said in an interview.
Caldwell will be sentenced Aug. 10 and faces up to 20 years in prison and a $250,000 penalty. Rooney said multiple factors go into determining a prison sentence, including criminal history.
Rooney added that it is unlikely Caldwell will receive the maximum sentence, but her punishment will include some time in custody.
