East Bay Woman Sentenced To More Than Two Years In Prison For Embezzling Over $1.6 Million From Charity Serving Young People

OAKLAND - Carrie Lynn Grant was sentenced to 27 months in federal prison for embezzling over $1.6 million dollars from a Northern California charity organization that provides educational materials and programs to prepare young people to succeed in a global economy. U.S. District Judge Araceli Martínez-Olguín handed down the sentence this week.

Grant, 62, of Pleasant Hill, California, was indicted by a federal grand jury on July 22, 2024. Grant pleaded guilty on August 11, 2025, to one count of wire fraud. According to the plea agreement and court documents, over a period of years from November 2017 to June 2023, Grant abused her role as the finance manager of the charity, depositing charity money into her personal account while creating fraudulent records to cover her tracks. Grant spent the money on, among other things, first-class air travel, floor seats for a Golden State Warriors game, box seats for a San Francisco 49ers game, and a condominium in Hawaii. In total, Grant stole more than $1.6 million dollars from the non-profit organization.

United States Attorney Craig Missakian and FBI Acting Special Agent in Charge Agustin Lopez made the announcement.

In addition to the prison term, Judge Martínez-Olguín also sentenced the defendant to a three-year period of supervised release. The Court will determine the amount of restitution Grant must pay at a later date. The defendant will begin serving the sentence on March 9, 2026.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Evan M. Mateer is prosecuting the case with the assistance of Christine Tian and Amala James. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the FBI.