LAREDO, Tex. (KGNS) – A Laredo man has pleaded not guilty in federal court to charges of bank fraud and wire fraud, accused of stealing funds from a local non-profit organization.
Christian Ochoa, a former treasurer and board member for Literacy Volunteers of Laredo (LVL), was indicted on October 16 for allegedly misappropriating funds. Each charge of bank fraud and wire fraud carries a potential sentence of up to 30 years in prison.
According to court records, Ochoa served as a board member of LVL for approximately six years and was appointed treasurer in 2022, overseeing payroll, bill payments, and the organization’s PNC Bank account. LVL, a non-profit established in 1986, provides free literacy and language resources to adults in Laredo, as well as civics courses for those seeking U.S. citizenship. The organization operates largely on donations from sources such as United Way, the Lamar Bruni Vergara Trust, the Guadalupe & Lilia Martinez Foundation, the Dollar General Literacy Foundation, and local third-party government funding from the City of Laredo and Webb County.
Court documents allege that Ochoa fraudulently transferred funds from LVL’s account to his personal CashApp account and conducted numerous unauthorized transactions, resulting in a loss exceeding $150,000. Investigators claim he used a mobile device to move funds between financial institutions, allegedly executing over 200 individual transactions with LVL funds for personal financial use.
Only LVL’s board president and treasurer have access to the organization’s bank account, and purchases over $500 require board approval. As treasurer, Ochoa was responsible for managing the organization’s finances, a position he held voluntarily and without compensation.
Ochoa was arrested on October 17 and released the following day. He has denied all charges and awaits further legal proceedings.
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