11-04-2025
Ex-Fairfax trustee's embezzlement case headed to trial
BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET) — Palmer Moland, the former Fairfax School District Trustee accused of embezzlement and voter fraud, will go to trial later this month, attorneys said Friday.
There's no plea offer on the table and the trial is expected to last four weeks. It's set for April 28, depending on courtroom availability.
According to prosecutors, Moland ignored bylaws that restrict using public funds to hire a law firm that was set to investigate him. Prosecutors say he should have abstained from voting to hire the firm because it posed a conflict of interest.
He's also charged with voter fraud. Prosecutors say he lied about living within the district during the 2018 and 2020 elections.
In a separate case, Moland is accused of exaggerating his health issues to fraudulently obtain in-home care services for people with disabilities.
He began misrepresenting his health status in 2018 to become eligible for the In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) program, which overpaid $78,012.55 for services that included laundry, cleaning, meal preparation and assistance while showering, according to prosecutors. He received IHSS assistance for four years.
A preliminary hearing on that case is set for next month.
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