The trust built between donors and local charities took a hit last week as Colorado’s top prosecutor finalized a deal to claw back nearly $100,000 in stolen funds.
Attorney General Phil Weiser announced on Wednesday that Lindsay Salas, the former executive director of Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) of Adams and Broomfield Counties, has entered a settlement following an investigation into her misuse of charitable donations.
The scheme, which unfolded between November 2023 and July 2024, involved a series of fabricated tuition invoices. Investigators discovered that Salas submitted these fake bills to CASA for her graduate school education, even though she didn’t actually owe the university any money.
Relying on her leadership position, she convinced a donor to foot the bill. Since her student account already had a zero balance, the university processed the incoming payments as overages and cut refund checks directly to Salas. By the time the dust settled, she had pocketed approximately $99,000 in cash meant for the nonprofit’s mission.
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“This case is a clear example of the harm that occurs when someone abuses the public’s trust in charitable giving,” Weiser said. He emphasized that donors deserve to know their money is handled honestly and that nonprofits must be able to trust their own leadership.
The legal fallout for Salas includes a $66,000 repayment plan spanning the next six years, with the funds being returned to CASA. While a larger $125,000 judgment hangs over her head, it remains suspended as long as she sticks to the payment schedule.
Beyond the money, the agreement effectively blacklists Salas from the nonprofit sector for five years, barring her from any role that involves fundraising or managing a charity’s bank accounts.
Although this settlement closes the state’s civil case regarding violations of the Colorado Consumer Protection Act and the Colorado Charitable Solicitations Act, it does not prevent other legal authorities from pursuing separate charges in the future.
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