A nonprofit executive has been arrested on suspicion of embezzling $132,000 in public funds to support a lavish lifestyle.
Amy Knox, the former chief operating officer of the San Diego Harm Reduction Coalition, has entered a not guilty plea on charges alleging she misappropriated funds for things like plastic surgery, credit card payments, and luxury vacations to places like Hawaii and Disneyland.
At 45 years old, she faces six felony charges, with potential prison time of up to seven years for fraud and embezzlement.
Knox pleaded not guilty on Wednesday in San Diego State Supreme Court, where her bail was set at $200,000.
As of Thursday, she remained in custody at the Las Colinas Detention Center/Reentry Prison Facility. Her attorney, Richard Katzman, did not respond to inquiries for comment.
Allegations also suggest Knox used the cash for a lavish lifestyle involving purchases of purebred dogs and martial arts classes.
Additionally, she allegedly spent around $30,000 on plastic surgeries, including breast implants, a tummy tuck, and more.
The funds in question were sourced from taxes, grants, and the Opioid Solutions Fund, which aimed to provide free overdose prevention drugs and fentanyl testing for drug users in San Diego.
During her court appearance, Knox appeared anxious and fatigued behind a glass barrier. She is set to return to court on February 25 for a bail hearing.
Tara Stamos Busig, CEO of the Harm Reduction Coalition, mentioned receiving threats following the publicization of Knox’s situation.
“I’m getting a lot of threatening calls,” Stamos Busig stated, adding, “Amy is maintaining her innocence while blaming me.”
Stamos Busig claims to have informed the District Attorney’s Office about Knox’s alleged theft. She described Knox’s strong ties to San Diego’s addiction recovery community and noted that Knox’s husband, Jeffrey Knox, is connected to the local biker culture.
In 2023, Jeffrey Knox and Amy Knox purchased a 2,900-square-foot luxury home in San Diego for $1.375 million, according to real estate records. When contacted, Jeffrey declined to comment.
Since raising her concerns with the prosecutor’s office in May, Stamos Busig claims her organization has suffered significantly, resulting in mass layoffs and the inability to pay rent for the past two months. She fears homelessness.
During a news conference, San Diego District Attorney Summer Stephan emphasized that Stamos Busig’s tip was crucial in initiating the investigation into Knox.
Stephan pointed out the county’s failure to acknowledge Knox’s past conviction for stealing $500,000 from a previous employer. In 2015, Knox pleaded guilty to grand larceny and served time in prison.
A spokeswoman for San Diego County, Tammy Glenn, confirmed that the county severed all contracts with the Harm Reduction Coalition in June, stating that the county takes allegations of fraud seriously and is cooperating with the investigation.
David Luna, a political science professor at San Diego Mesa College, stated that the Harm Reduction Coalition should have performed its own background checks on Knox, underscoring the responsibility of nonprofit leaders.
Stamos Busig mentioned she had known Knox for years prior to hiring him and that he had initially disclosed a past arrest for petty theft, but later modified his account.
“I thought she was the right choice, but everything just seemed to go sideways,” Stamos Busig reflected.
