A former San Diego nonprofit executive has been charged with stealing more than $130,000 in public funds meant to prevent fentanyl overdoses, spending the money instead on breast implants, tummy tucks, and luxury vacations.
Amy Knox, who previously served as chief operating officer of Harm Reduction-SD, pleaded not guilty Wednesday to three felony counts of misappropriating public money and three felony counts of embezzlement, according to the Los Angeles Times.
Prosecutors allege Knox spent at least $30,000 on cosmetic procedures including breast implants and lifts, arm and thigh lifts, and a tummy tuck. She also allegedly used the funds for trips to Hawaii and Disneyland, purebred dogs, and over $90,000 in personal credit card payments.
“This defendant had a history of stealing large amounts of money from her employer and violating their trust, yet she was still able to be in charge of millions of dollars in public funds,” said San Diego District Attorney Summer Stephan during a Wednesday news conference.
The case has raised serious questions about San Diego County’s oversight procedures. Knox had previously been convicted of embezzling more than $500,000 from a National City construction company in 2014, yet was still allowed to oversee $5.8 million in county grant funding, Fox 5 San Diego reported.
Even more troubling, prosecutors say the county conducted an audit in April 2023 that revealed “significant financial control weaknesses” at the nonprofit. The county then discovered Knox’s previous conviction but still awarded the organization a second contract in August 2024 for testing street drugs for fentanyl.
Tara Stamos, the nonprofit’s CEO, identified herself as the whistleblower who reported Knox’s suspicious financial activities to authorities. Stamos said she hired Knox believing she was qualified but later discovered irregularities in the organization’s bank accounts.
“It was not a difficult decision to come to the district attorney, and I had to do the right thing for the right reason,” Stamos said.
The nonprofit was forced to shut down after the allegations surfaced, disrupting vital overdose prevention services. Of the $5.8 million in grant funding approved by the county, $3.68 million has already been paid out.
Terra Lawson-Remer, chair of the San Diego County Board of Supervisors, called the alleged thefts “a serious breach of trust” and has called for a review of how this happened and for structural safeguards to prevent similar incidents.
Knox is scheduled to return to court for a bail review hearing on February 25.
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