Laredo man accused of stealing from nonprofit organization pleads not guilty

LAREDO, Texas (KGNS). A Laredo man has pleaded not guilty in federal court to charges of bank fraud and wire fraud accused of stealing funds from a local nonprofit.

On October 16, Christian Ochoa, former treasurer and board member of the Volunteers for Literacy of Laredo (LVL), was charged with alleged misappropriation of funds. Each count of bank fraud and wire fraud carries a sentence of up to 30 years in prison.

According to court records, Ochoa served on LVL’s board for about six years and was named treasurer in 2022, overseeing payroll, bill payments and the organization’s PNC Bank account. LVL, a nonprofit organization founded in 1986, provides free literature and language resources for adults in Laredo, as well as civic education courses for those seeking U.S. citizenship. The organization is primarily supported by donations from sources such as the United Way, Lamar Bruni Vergara Trust, Guadalupe & Lilia Martinez Foundation, Dollar General Literacy Foundation, and third-party local government funding from the City of Laredo and Webb County.

Court documents allege that Ochoa fraudulently transferred funds from the LVL account to his personal CashApp account and made numerous unauthorized transactions, resulting in losses exceeding $150,000. Investigators say he used the mobile device to move funds between financial institutions, allegedly making more than 200 separate transactions with LVL funds for personal financial use.

Only LVL’s board president and treasurer have access to the organization’s bank account, and purchases over $500 require board approval. As treasurer, Ochoa was responsible for managing the organization’s finances, a position he held voluntarily and without compensation.

Ochoa was arrested on October 17 and released the next day. He denies all charges and awaits further court proceedings.

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