SIMI VALLEY : Man Charged With Taking Club Funds
The former president of the Rancho Simi Rotary Club has been charged with embezzling nearly $9,000 from the service organization, which raises money for various charities, authorities said.
Nick Wassil surrendered to a Ventura County Municipal Court judge last week after learning that a warrant had been issued for his arrest, said Simi Valley Police Lt. Don Austin.
Wassil pleaded not guilty Friday to one felony count of grand theft by embezzlement, said Deputy Dist. Atty. Deborah S. Elliot. Wassil, who was released on his own recognizance, is scheduled to appear at a preliminary hearing in Ventura County Municipal Court on Jan. 9.
Neither Wassil nor his attorney, Douglas A. Demaret, could be reached for comment.
Police said they began investigating Wassil after receiving a tip from a Rotary Club member. Police did not reveal the name of the informant.
Elliot said Wassil is alleged to have embezzled the money between February and June of this year while serving as the organization’s president.
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