After suicide attempt, South Lake Tahoe mayor admits to stealing church funds
City of South Lake Tahoe Mayor Tamara Wallace publicly confessed to embezzling funds from a local church.
South Lake Tahoe Mayor Tamara Wallace publicly confessed to embezzling funds from the Presbyterian Church in a shocking letter she sent to local news outlets on Sunday evening.
According to the letter, Wallace had been stealing money from the church for an extended period of time. She had been working for the church as an administrator. Guilt-stricken, Wallace wrote that she attempted suicide this year on Sept. 11, her birthday. Since then, she has been staying in a mental health facility, where she is taking medication and participating in group and individual therapy sessions.
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After her suicide attempt, Wallace said, she gave the pastor a list of account numbers and passwords.
The El Dorado County district attorney is investigating the stolen funds and Wallace’s confession, said Melanie Torres, spokesperson for the district attorney’s office, in an email to SFGATE. “With that no other comments will be made at this time,” Torres said.
Sheree Juarez, public information officer for the city of South Lake Tahoe, said the investigation into Wallace has “no fiscal harm” on the city.
South Lake Tahoe City Attorney Heather Stroud said Wallace’s term on City Council ends in 2026. “If Mayor Wallace’s seat becomes........
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