Ex-Fortuna Council Member Kris Mobley Indicted for $500K Fraud Scheme

Former Fortuna City Council member Christina “Kris” Mobley has been federally indicted on multiple counts of mail fraud and wire fraud after allegedly embezzling over $500,000 from her longtime employer, Beacom Construction. The indictment, filed in the United States District Court for the Northern District of California on February 5, 2025, outlines an extensive scheme in which Mobley, serving as the company’s business manager, misappropriated company funds for personal use.

According to the indictment, Mobley orchestrated a fraudulent scheme from January 2022 through November 2024, using unauthorized checks and electronic payments to funnel company money into her personal accounts. The charges allege that she:

• Issued at least 15 unauthorized checks totaling approximately $67,100 from the company’s Umpqua Bank account to her personal Capital One credit cards.
• Conducted around 107 unauthorized Automated Clearing House (ACH) payments totaling about $299,700 from the company’s account to her personal credit cards.
• Used the company’s business credit card for personal expenses, including cash advances at casinos, airfare, and hotel stays.
• Issued unauthorized payroll checks to herself, padded her payroll hours, and cashed out unapproved vacation time.
• Wrote unauthorized checks to herself from the company’s pre-signed blank check supply.

The charges against Mobley include three counts of mail fraud and seven counts of wire fraud. If convicted, she faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison per count, a $250,000 fine (or twice the amount of gain or loss), three years of supervised release, forfeiture of assets, restitution, and a $100 special assessment per count.

An anonymous source at Beacom Construction confirmed to KMUD News that the company targeted in the fraud case was indeed Beacom Construction, where Mobley had been employed for 23 years. According to the federal indictment, Mobley initially started as a bookkeeper and later rose to the role of business manager.

A source at the company revealed that Mobley was a “long-time trusted employee” in a family-like atmosphere. The alleged theft came as a complete shock, said the source.  In fact, when asked if there was any indication of theft, or that Mobley would be a suspect in any type of fraudulent behavior, the Beacom source said that upon learning of the theft, the information left them in a stupor, stating, “I should have had a heart attack and died right there.”

However, when confronted regarding the allegation, the source stated that Mobley admitted the alleged fraud.

According to the source, since first learning of the alleged fraud, the amount Mobley is accused of stealing has nearly tripled from the original amount the FBI believed to involved, to now being estimated at $580,000.

Despite the financial impact, the source indicated the construction company remains stable, and management has assured employees they not at risk of losing their jobs.

In a comment to KMUD News, Beacom Construction Co-Owner, Earl Ambrosini stated he’d like to thank the two FBI agents for all the work they had put into this case and will let the legal system handle the matter. Explaining further, he wrote, “Mrs Mobley has been replaced and the company as a whole is moving on.”

Mobley resigned from the Fortuna City Council on January 29, 2025, amid the FBI’s investigation. In her resignation letter, she cited personal reasons for stepping down.

Fortuna Police Chief Casey Day told KMUD News that the investigation is solely related to Mobley’s private employment and not her role in the city government. “There is no indication of fraudulent activity at the city level,” Day said, explaining that council members do not have direct access to city funds, making municipal financial misconduct unlikely.

According to the federal documents, Mobley has not been arrested.
Mobley is scheduled to appear in federal court later this month to face the charges. Federal authorities continue to investigate the case, and additional details may emerge as legal proceedings unfold. Our calls for comment from Mobley and the FBI have gone unreturned at this time.

Earlier: Breaking News: Fortuna City Councilmember Resigns Amid FBI Investigation