A former La Cañada Flintridge assistant city manager has been charged with stealing nearly $200,000 in proceeds from insurance claims meant for the city coffers, but diverted to his own personal bank account, officials announced Thursday.

Carl F. Alameda, 44, faces 11 felony counts of embezzlement and 23 counts of insurance fraud, according to the Los Angeles County district attorney’s office.

Alameda pleaded not guilty Wednesday and is scheduled to return to the downtown Los Angeles criminal courthouse July 23 for a preliminary hearing setting.

From 2016 to 2022, Alameda allegedly sent demand letters to insurance companies using city letterhead requesting reimbursement for accidents or property damage caused by insured drivers in La Cañada Flintridge. He is accused of falsifying invoices and asked for payments to be sent to an address Alameda provided, prosecutors said.

Once insurance companies responded with checks issued to the city and to the defendant’s attention, Alameda allegedly deposited those checks into his bank account, totaling $193,086, according to prosecutors.

City officials said Thursday that Alameda left employment with the city in early 2023.

In a statement, officials said they’d first learned of the accusations from the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department when they launched an investigation triggered by suspect checks that were arriving at the L.A. County Public Works Office. Alameda was place on leave and his employment ended.

“This remains an ongoing investigation, so our comments will be limited to respect the legal and criminal investigation, “ according to a statement by current city manager Dan Jordan on Thursday. “The City has modified our internal controls to address the scenarios that allowed the alleged financial crimes to take place. Importantly, subsequent audits have thoroughly reviewed our strengthened financial controls.”

If convicted, Alameda faces up to 33 years in state prison.

‘betrayal of trust’

“It is a major disservice and betrayal of trust when public officials place their own selfish interests over the communities they serve,” District Attorney Nathan J. Hochman said in a statement. “It undermines faith in our government and sends the wrong message to the public that the people who are supposed to be working for you are corrupt and stealing from you. If you exploit your position for your own greed at the public’s expense, my office will file charges and hold you accountable.”