Pacifica Accountant Accused Of Embezzling More Than $55K From Restaurant

PACIFICA (CBS SF) -- An accountant from Pacifica has been arrested after allegedly embezzling tens of thousands of dollars from a Peninsula restaurateur, San Mateo County sheriff's officials announced Monday.

Mark Christopher Sturm, the founder of Mark Sturm MBA Inc. in Half Moon Bay, was arrested Thursday at his business, according to the sheriff's office.

The case came to light after the restaurateur, who hired Sturm to provide accounting, payroll and tax service for three restaurants, discovered discrepancies in bank accounts, sheriff's officials said.

An audit determined Sturm had allegedly embezzled more than $55,000 from the accounts and did not pay required federal and state payroll taxes totaling more than $60,000, sheriff's officials said.

Sheriff's deputies obtained a $100,000 warrant for Sturm, who was eventually booked into county jail in Redwood City.

Deputies are looking for anyone else possibly victimized by Sturm's accounting practices. Anyone with information about the case is encouraged to contact Detective Gaby Chaghouri at (650) 259-2314 or gchaghouri@smcgov.org.

People wishing to remain anonymous can call the sheriff's office's anonymous tip line at (800) 547-2700.