A former assistant city manager of La Cañada Flintridge was charged with stealing nearly $200,000 in proceeds from insurance claims meant for the city by allegedly diverting the funds to his own bank account, Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman announced on May 15.

Carl Alameda, 44, faces 11 felony counts of embezzlement and 23 counts of insurance fraud. He pleaded not guilty on Wednesday and is scheduled to return to court for a preliminary hearing on July 23 to determine if there is enough evidence to allow the case to proceed to trial, according to Hochman.

“It is a major disservice and betrayal of trust when public officials place their own selfish interests over the communities they serve,” Hochman said in a statement on Thursday. “It undermines faith in our government and sends the wrong message to the public that the people who are supposed to be working for you are corrupt and stealing from you.”

County prosecutors say that from 2016 to 2022, while Alameda worked for La Cañada Flintridge, a few miles north of Los Angeles, he allegedly sent demand letters to insurance companies using city letterhead asking for reimbursements for accidents or property damage caused by insured drivers in the city. He is accused of falsifying invoices, and he asked that payments be sent to an address he provided, the statement said.

When insurance companies responded with checks issued to the city and to the defendant’s attention, Alameda allegedly deposited the checks into his bank account, prosecutors say.

The total amount Alameda is accused of depositing is $193,086, according to Hochman.

Alameda did not respond to a phone message seeking comment about the case.

If convicted, he faces up to 33 years in state prison.

The case is being prosecuted by Deputy District Attorney Joel Wilson of the Public Integrity Division and remains under investigation by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, according to the district attorney’s office.

Alameda worked for the city for nearly 20 years and has served as an assistant city manager in Ojai since June 2023. Alameda was placed on immediate paid administrative leave, according to a statement issued Thursday by the city of Ojai.

The city said officials were made aware on Thursday that Alameda was charged by the district attorney’s office with financial crimes.

“At the time of his hiring, the city was unaware of any pending investigations or allegations of wrongdoing,” Ojai City Manager Dan Jordan said. “The city follows a rigorous hiring process and background check procedure, adhering to all applicable laws, policies and best practices to ensure candidates are qualified and meet the necessary standards at the time of their hiring.”

Details about Alameda’s alleged crimes were confidential and not disclosed to the city, according to Jordan.

The city is conducting its own internal audit to ensure no financial misconduct has occurred during Alameda’s employment, Jordan added.