MTV Skater Ryan Sheckler's CFO Busted for Embezzlement
Guess Friday the 13th really is an unlucky day for some.
The Chief Financial Officer (CFO) for professional skateboarding MTV reality star Ryan Sheckler was arrested and charged with embezzling more than $365,000 by the Huntington Beach police on Friday, Nov. 13.
Matthew Mercuro, 36 of San Clemente, Calif., fraudulently transferred funds to himself from two corporate accounts.
Mercuro is being held on a $400,000 bail and has been charged with two felony counts of grand theft with sentencing enhancements for excessive taking over $200,000 and $65,000. If convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of six years and eight months in state prison.
The defendant is expected to be arraigned Tuesday, Nov. 17, 2009, at the Harbor Justice Center in Newport Beach.
Mercuro worked as CFO for the 19-year-old "Life of Ryan" star's companies between June 2008 and April 2009 and is being accused of having access to the accounts of the two companies Ryan Sheckler, Rips LLC and Sheckler Merch 2 LLC.
The theft was discovered when the suspicious transfers were noticed during a review of the companies' finances. Transfers were being made to his personal account, and to the accounts of Mercuro's wife and friends, according to the San Clemente Times.
