O.C. Exec Accused Of 'Cooking The Books,' Embezzlement: Police

ANAHEIM, CA – A 59-year-old longtime general manager of an Anaheim company has been charged with embezzling more than $184,000 over at least seven years, according to court records obtained Friday.

Jeffrey Joseph Lenhardt was charged Wednesday with nine counts of computer access and fraud and a count of grand theft by embezzlement, all felonies. He also faces sentencing enhancements for property damage exceeding $65,000 and aggravated white collar crime between $100,000 and $500,000.

According to a motion to increase his $20,000 bail, Lenhardt worked as general manager of Foam Plastics and Rubber Products since September 1990. In November 2014, an employee came across information that indicated the defendant accepted cash from a longtime customer, but did not report it, Anaheim police Det. J. Azze said in the motion.

Further investigation revealed Lenhardt was doctoring the books to cover his tracks, Azze said.

Lenhardt told investigators it started with him selling scrap foam that would otherwise be thrown away, Azze said.

"Lenhardt would sell inventory to random customers out the back door and retain the cash," Azze wrote.

The defendant would also order raw materials through a purchase order and then use workers to create a product he would sell to a customer, Azze alleged. Then he would direct the customer to pay another vendor owned by a friend, he alleged.

About 13 of the company's customers were paying the defendant directly. The estimated total loss is $184,250.66.

Lenhardt appeared in court Friday, where his arraignment was rescheduled for June 22.

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