A Santa Clarita man pleaded guilty Wednesday to a federal charge after embezzling more than $1 million from his employer, The Claremont Colleges Services, where he worked as an electrical shop supervisor.
Steven Cowles, 45, entered his plea in downtown Los Angeles to one count of wire fraud.
Court documents show that in his role as shop supervisor, Cowles was responsible for maintaining electrical components at the college institutions, including ordering parts and supplies as needed.
Cowles admitted that between June 2018 and July 2024, he misappropriated funds from his employer through at least 1,343 unauthorized transactions. Prosecutors said the expenses were unrelated to Claremont College operations and were carried out by fraudulently using employer-issued purchasing cards in his name.
According to prosecutors, Cowles submitted false invoices and other documents that claimed to show legitimate purchases of electrical products in order to hide the scheme. Authorities said he also linked the employer-provided purchasing cards to his personal PayPal account and transferred funds from those cards to third parties.
The Claremont Colleges Services serves as the support organization for the seven Claremont Colleges located throughout Los Angeles County.
U.S. District Judge Maame Frimpong scheduled Cowles’ sentencing for April 22. Prosecutors said he faces up to 20 years in federal prison.
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