Woman arrested for embezzling $9,000 from Boys & Girls Club

Last Friday Sonoma County sheriff ‘s deputies arrested a former finance director of the Boys & Girls Club of Sonoma Valley on charges of grand theft and embezzlement.

Robyn Lieberman (Cabrera), 37, was employed the local youth club from 2011 to 2013. She was placed under arrest at her Santa Rosa home for allegedly stealing $9,000 from the club over a two to three year period. Both the grand theft and embezzlement charges are felonies. She was taken to Sonoma County Jail, and then released on $10,000 bail. No arraignment date has been announced.

David Pier, executive director of the local club, said that the discrepancy was discovered by the club staff last August during a routine check of the club ‘s PayPal accounts used in some cases for processing donations. Further investigation by Pier and staff found more unexplained financial transactions and reported the matter to the deputies at the Sonoma Valley sub station.

Pier was able to provide the sheriff‘s office property crimes investigators with enough information for them to get a warrant for the follow-up investigation. This led to the charges against Lieberman, who also used the last name Cabrera. Her employment was terminated in January 2014 for reasons unrelated to the embezzlement investigation. She had worked for the club since 2005.

“The Club is saddened by this news. As an organization, we have taken every measure to mitigate future risks as advised by an independent audit firm and verified by our finance committee. The Club participates in an annual independent third party audit and has also adopted a whistleblower policy,” Pier said this week.

Sheriff ‘s Office Public Information Officer, Sgt. Sergeant Cecile Focha said that Lieberman allegedly transfered some of the funds in the club ‘s PayPal account to her personal PayPal account, and made some personal purchases using the club ‘s account as well.

“The Club immediately changed accounting procedure as it relates to the PayPal account to include oversight by two personnel with checks and balances. This is standard procedure for all other Club accounts as well,” Pier said.

“We are entrusted by parents to take good care of their children after school, and we are entrusted by the community to ensure the resources they provide are well cared for. The effect of the loss is that these funds that could have been used for program supplies or personnel to provide the services that our Mission strives for.

The Club will seek restitution to become whole, and will take every measure possible to mitigate future risk,” Pier concluded.

Sixteen years ago in November of 1998, another club employee, Kim O‘Donnell was charged with embezzling more than $88,000 from the club. She was found guilty, made some restitution and served some jail time.

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