Former CFO Of San Francisco Law Firms Admits To Years-Long Scheme To Steal More Than $1.3 Million From His Employers

SAN FRANCISCO - A Palm Springs man pleaded guilty today to one count of bank fraud and one count of money laundering related to a years-long scheme to embezzle more than $1.3 million from his former employers, two San Francisco law firms.

According to court documents, Tony Archuleta-Perkins, 48, formerly of San Francisco, held various roles at the firms, eventually becoming Chief Financial Officer (CFO). As the CFO, Archuleta-Perkins was in a position of trust and had access to the law firms' payroll systems and end-to-end payments automation platforms. During the course of his employment, Archuleta-Perkins used this access to embezzle funds in various ways.

The primary way that Archuleta-Perkins stole money from the law firms was to cause the firms to make false and fraudulent payments to a non-profit organization he had set up and solely controlled. Archuleta-Perkins admitted to stealing more than $1.1 million using this method. Archuleta-Perkins also embezzled funds from the law firms by falsely adding "one-time reimbursements" to his regular paychecks or special bonus payroll checks through the use of the law firms' payroll software. He admitted to stealing more than $106,000 using this method. Archuleta-Perkins also admitted that he endorsed a $41,663.69 tax refund check made out to one of the law firms, deposited it into a bank account belonging to the non-profit, and then wrote himself a check for the same amount.

As part of his plea agreement, Archuleta-Perkins admitted that he knew that the principal of one of the law firms was undergoing serious health issues that kept him out of the office, and that the principal's physical condition made him unusually vulnerable and particularly susceptible to Archuleta-Perkins's criminal conduct.

In total, Archuleta-Perkins admitted that he was responsible for at least $1,321,752.72 in losses to his victims. Archuleta-Perkins used the stolen money for personal expenses, including payments on a Best Buy credit card.

Archuleta-Perkins pleaded guilty to one count of bank fraud in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1344(2) and one count of engaging in monetary transactions in property derived from specified unlawful activity (money laundering) in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1957. He faces a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison as to the bank fraud charge and a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison as to the money laundering charge. A federal district judge will determine and impose a sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553(a).

Archuleta-Perkins, who was arrested on June 28, 2024, remains free on a $500,000 bond and is scheduled to be sentenced on March 26, 2025, at 10:00 a.m. before the Honorable Jacqueline Scott Corley, U.S. District Judge.

U.S. Attorney Ismail J. Ramsey for the Northern District of California and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) San Francisco Special Agent in Charge Robert K. Tripp made the announcement.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Nikhil Bhagat is prosecuting the case with the assistance of Madeline Wachs. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the FBI.