Aliso Viejo woman arrested for alleged misuse of football booster funds

ALISO VIEJO, Calif. (KESQ) - A 56-year-old woman was arrested today after being charged in a federal indictment with defrauding a nonprofit set up to assist a high school football team.  

Julie Hanway Molina was arrested at her home and made an initial court appearance in U.S. District Court in Santa Ana on Thursday to face four counts of wire fraud. She pleaded not guilty and was ordered released on $10,000 bond.

According to federal prosecutors, Molina allegedly served as the organization's treasurer and used more than $400,000 of its funds to pay off her delinquent home mortgage.

A federal grand jury returned an indictment on Sept. 2 charging Molina with executing a scheme to defraud the nonprofit organization between 2023 and November 2025 by diverting funds from the group's bank account for use on her own personal expenses, including the mortgage and credit card bills.   

Molina was treasurer of an Aliso Niguel High School football team support organization.  

She allegedly wired approximately $131,523 from the bank account in Laguna Hills through Federal Reserve facilities in New Jersey and Texas to an account in Santa Ana and sent emails to the nonprofit's board members attaching falsified reports.

A total of $411,761 was allegedly misappropriated.   

If convicted, Molina could face 20 years in federal prison for each count, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.   

Her trial is scheduled for Nov. 2 in the federal court in Santa Ana.