x
Breaking News
More () »

Ex-charity CEO starts sentence after stealing gift cards for cancer patients

Funes was fired as the president and CEO of Our Lady of the Lake Foundation last year.
Credit: WBRZ-TV
The Advocate reports court documents filed Tuesday say 49-year-old John Paul Funes is charged with wire fraud and money laundering.

BATON ROUGE, La. — A Louisiana hospital foundation's former fundraising chief convicted of stealing over $550,000 in donations is scheduled to start his 33-month sentence.

Attorney Walt Green told news outlets that 49-year-old John Paul Funes was told to report to the Federal Correctional Institution in Terre Haute, Indiana Monday after pleading guilty to wire fraud and money laundering.

Funes was fired as the president and CEO of Our Lady of the Lake Foundation last year.

Prosecutors have said Funes stole gift cards meant for cancer patients. They said he also flew his family and friends to football games on charter flights recorded as "outbound patient transport."

Prosecutors said the fraud spanned from 2012 to 2018.

Funes was told to pay a $50,000 fine. He has paid $796,000 in restitution.

RELATED: Ex-charity CEO sentenced to 33 months for embezzling $550K

RELATED: Former head of charity pleads guilty in embezzlement case

► Get breaking news from your neighborhood delivered directly to you by downloading the new FREE WWL-TV News app now in the IOS App Store or Google Play.

‎Stay up-to-date with the latest news and weather in the New Orleans area on the all-new free WWL TV app. Our app features the latest breaking news that impacts you and your family, interactive weather and radar, and live video from our newscasts and local events. LOCAL & BREAKING NEWS * Receive r...

Before You Leave, Check This Out