A California executive manager is facing a federal wire fraud charge after prosecutors say he stole more than $2.3 million from the Placer County company where he worked and spent most of the money gambling.
Christopher William Edward Abplanalp, 38, of Roseville, is accused of diverting money from his employer between February 2023 and July 2025 through several methods, including redirecting company funds, collecting payments directly from clients and sending vendor rebates and refunds to his personal account.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of California says Abplanalp also repeatedly charged one client’s credit card for products the client never ordered and invoices that did not exist, then transferred the proceeds to himself.
Prosecutors allege that he altered, deleted or created false entries in the company’s accounting software to conceal the theft. Abplanalp is scheduled to make his initial federal court appearance and be arraigned on September 8.
Company Money Was Diverted to Personal Accounts
As an executive manager, Abplanalp allegedly had access to the business’s account with an online payment-processing system. Prosecutors say he redirected money from that account into his own personal account as well as accounts belonging to friends or acquaintances.
He is also accused of bypassing the company’s normal payment channels in other ways. Prosecutors say Abplanalp instructed some clients to pay him directly and told vendors that owed the business rebates or refunds to send the money to his personal account instead.
Federal prosecutors say Abplanalp repeatedly charged one client’s credit card for products the client had never ordered. Other charges were tied to invoices that prosecutors say did not exist.
Prosecutors Say Accounting Entries Were Altered or Deleted
As the money was being diverted, Abplanalp allegedly used the company’s accounting software to hide discrepancies. Prosecutors say he altered or deleted legitimate entries and made false entries to conceal the missing funds.
The FBI investigated the case with assistance from IRS Criminal Investigation. FOX40 reported that authorities have not publicly identified the Placer County business where Abplanalp worked.
According to federal prosecutors, the alleged conduct continued for approximately two and a half years, from February 2023 through July 2025. The government says most of the more than $2.3 million Abplanalp allegedly took was ultimately spent gambling.
Abplanalp Faces One Federal Wire Fraud Charge
Abplanalp has been charged with one count of wire fraud. His initial appearance and arraignment are scheduled for September 8, 2026, at 2 p.m. before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jeremy D. Peterson.
If convicted, he faces a statutory maximum of 20 years in federal prison and a fine of up to $250,000. Those are maximum potential penalties.
Any sentence would be determined by a federal judge after considering the applicable statutes and federal sentencing guidelines. The charge is an allegation. Abplanalp is presumed innocent unless and until prosecutors prove his guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Separate Control of Payments From Control of the Accounting Records
A central internal-fraud risk arises when one employee has enough access to move money and also change the records used to account for it. Businesses can reduce that exposure by separating responsibility for authorizing transactions, receiving or making payments, recording transactions and reviewing those records so that one person cannot independently control every stage.
The U.S. Government Accountability Office’s internal-control guidance identifies segregation of duties as a fundamental fraud safeguard and recommends dividing responsibility for authorization, processing, recording, review and custody of assets among different people.
For businesses using online payment processors, that can include independently reconciling processor activity against bank deposits and accounting records, restricting who can change customer payment or vendor refund instructions, and reviewing deleted or modified accounting entries. Customer charges for nonexistent invoices, refunds sent to employee-controlled accounts and payments that bypass the company’s usual bank accounts should be investigated.