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Former Fresno Arts Council Manager Sentenced to 33 Months for $1.8 Million Embezzlement
Suliana Caldwell, 46, was sentenced to 33 months in federal prison for embezzling more than $1.8 million in public funds from the Fresno Arts Council, including money Fresno voters approved through Measure P to support parks, trails, and the arts. U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced the sentencing this week.
Caldwell served as the Arts Council’s operations manager from 2021 through February 2026, a position that gave her control over the organization’s bank accounts, payroll, grants, and financial reporting to the executive director, board members, and the City and County of Fresno.
She used that access to make unauthorized withdrawals starting in 2022. After the Fresno City Council designated the Arts Council to administer Measure P grant funding in 2023, Caldwell sharply escalated the theft — ultimately taking more than $80,000 per month on average, according to court records.
She covered her tracks by falsifying financial reports that omitted the withdrawals and overstated account balances, then presented those false reports to the executive director, board members, and others. The court applied a sentencing enhancement for abuse of trust.
Caldwell spent the stolen money on casino gambling (where she held VIP status at multiple local casinos), vacations, and other personal expenses, prosecutors said.
The Breakdown
- Caldwell managed the Fresno Arts Council’s finances from 2021 to February 2026, including Measure P grant money — a 2018 voter-approved tax initiative for parks, trails, and arts funding.
- She embezzled over $1.8 million by making unauthorized withdrawals from FAC accounts, ramping up to more than $80,000 per month after the City Council assigned Measure P administration to the Arts Council in 2023.
- She concealed the theft by falsifying financial reports that understated withdrawals and overstated balances, then submitting those reports to the executive director, board members, and city/county officials.
- The stolen funds went to casino gambling, vacations, and personal expenses.
- The case was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office with investigation support from the FBI and Fresno Police Department.
What This Means for You
Measure P was a tax you voted for in 2018 specifically to fund parks, trails, and arts programs in Fresno. Over $1.8 million of that public money — money intended for community programs you approved at the ballot box — was diverted to personal gambling and vacations instead.
The City Council designated the Arts Council as the administrator for Measure P grants in 2023. After that designation, Caldwell increased the thefts to more than $80,000 per month on average.
What to Watch
The sources don’t state whether the Arts Council carried insurance, bonding, or any mechanism to recover the stolen $1.8 million, or whether taxpayers are now absorbing the loss on top of the tax they already paid.
The court record shows Caldwell presented false reports “to the FAC’s executive director, board members, and others” — meaning multiple layers of review saw the fabricated numbers without catching the discrepancy.
The court applied a sentencing enhancement for “abuse of trust” — a federal guideline provision that recognizes she was exploiting a position of authority to commit the theft, not just stealing.
