A second embezzler at the Lawrence Family Jewish Community Center (JCC) was sentenced Sept. 11 to one year in prison, which was the same sentence handed down to the charity’s former chief financial officer Aug. 28.
The La Jolla charity’s former accounts payable clerk, Tamara Azizov, 62, of San Diego, was ordered to repay the JCC $154,192.74 by U.S. District Court Judge Barry Moskowitz.
Unlike Nancy Johnson, 59, of Escondido, the former CFO who has reimbursed the JCC $412,289 – which is all that she stole – Azizov has not paid anything so far in restitution, said Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew Galvin.
Azizov remains free on $20,000 bond and will surrender in November to start her term. Johnson also remains free on $20,000 bond and will surrender Oct. 9.
Azizov worked for the JCC for 25 years and had access to the charity’s bank accounts, credit card accounts and bookkeeping records. Johnson was her boss, but neither knew the other one was stealing money, according to the U.S. Attorney’s office.
Azizov spent JCC funds for herself to buy Tom Ford sunglasses, Simon Perele lingerie, and designer clothing from Neiman Marcus, Nordstrom and Anthropologie. She also purchased high end beauty products, and $1,820 for sushi at Zip Fusion, a Japanese restaurant.
Larry Katz, the former president of JCC, was at the sentencing and wrote a letter to Moskowitz, saying there was an “immense sense of disappointment, anger and betrayal” from JCC workers. “Tamara Azizov had stolen from our family,” Katz wrote.
The thefts by both women caused layoffs at JCC as well as cuts in programs for the elderly, pre-schoolers and many others, Katz wrote.
“While maybe Tamara Azizov will be apologetic now that she is before this court … she repeatedly lied regarding the amounts stolen … and failed to act with humility or recognize the harmful impact her criminal behavior has had on our institution,” wrote Katz.
“Tamara directly deprived those in need,” wrote Alma Geiger, the preschool director. “She abused her position to satisfy her own selfish wants.”
Both Azizov and Johnson pleaded guilty to interstate wire fraud and filing a false tax return in which they did not declare the stolen funds as income. Johnson was ordered to pay $115,441 to the IRS, but Azizov was not ordered to pay the IRS.
The prosecutor said it was estimated that Azizov owes approximately $43,173 to the IRS, but the IRS will work with her in some type of payment plan.
The JCC was founded in 1945 to celebrate the Jewish community with cultural, educational, social and recreational programs and services. They are located at 4126 Executive Drive. Each year, thousands attend the JCC Jewish Film Festival and the San Diego Jewish Book Fair.
Why is this in LGBT weekly? What’s the LGBT connection. Seems odd