Sacramento’s top prosecutor is accusing the former boss of Capital Public Radio of treating the station’s coffers like his own personal ATM.
On Thursday, the Sacramento County District Attorney’s Office filed a criminal complaint charging Fidias “Jun” Reina Jr., the former general manager and chief financial officer of CapRadio, with multiple felony counts of embezzlement, forgery and grand theft. District Attorney Thien Ho called the allegations a serious breach of trust and said his office intends to pursue the case, capping years of civil claims and financial scrutiny of the public radio outlet.
DA Outlines a Stack of Felony Counts
According to a post by the Sacramento County District Attorney’s Office, the complaint filed Thursday lists multiple felony counts of embezzlement, forgery and grand theft tied to Reina’s handling of the nonprofit station’s finances. In the post, Ho wrote that the charges allege a serious breach of trust and noted that prosecutors worked with the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office on the investigation.
Audits, Red Flags and a Civil Suit Came First
CapRadio and independent forensic reviews released in 2023 and 2024 flagged hundreds of thousands of dollars in payments lacking adequate support and raised questions about corporate credit card spending, CapRadio reported. The station later filed a civil lawsuit seeking at least $900,000 and asked a court to place Reina’s West Sacramento home in a trust to help recover alleged losses. Court filings and reporting state that Reina resigned from CapRadio in June 2023.
Forensic Trail and Sheriff’s Probe
Forensic work identified roughly $370,000 in transfers that were alleged to have been directed to Reina’s personal accounts, along with more than $100,000 in station credit card charges for home improvements and other personal expenses, industry outlets reported. The Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office submitted its investigation to prosecutors last year, according to Radio Ink.
What Happens Next in Court
The criminal complaint starts a state court process that typically moves into arraignment and pretrial hearings in Sacramento County Superior Court. A filing is not a conviction, and Reina is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Grand theft and forgery fall under California Penal Code provisions that allow them to be charged as misdemeanors or felonies depending on the amount involved and the circumstances. Potential penalties can include jail or prison time if there is a conviction, under California Penal Code § 487 and § 470.
CapRadio’s Response and Fallout for Donors
CapRadio has said it is focused on recovering funds and securing accountability, and earlier obtained an insurance payout tied to the alleged losses, according to CapRadio. Even with that cushion, the criminal case is likely to intensify questions about the financial stability of the station and its effort to rebuild trust with listeners, donors and the university license holder that keeps the public media outlet on the air.
