Woman Accused of Theft From Rodeo Association

A Trabuco Canyon woman was arrested Wednesday on suspicion of embezzling more than $18,000 from a nonprofit association for which she was secretary-treasurer.

Janet Blomberg, 51, was charged with five counts of grand theft after Orange County Sheriff’s deputies were contacted by representatives of the California High School Rodeo Assn., an organization based in Sacramento. Blomberg worked for the association out of her home.

“Somebody looked at the books and saw that something wasn’t right,” said Steven Doan, a spokesman for the sheriff’s department. “It wasn’t a complex scheme--she was writing association checks to pay off personal bills.”

Most of the money was taken between August and December 1998.

Blomberg, who was on parole following a previous conviction for grand theft, was taken into custody at the office of her parole officer, Doan said. Sheriff’s investigators had been looking for Blomberg since Sept. 1, he said.