Pasadena Chamber of Commerce CFO accused of embezzling more than $1 million

A former Houston Chamber of Commerce employee faces multiple criminal charges for allegedly defrauding the chamber and its top executive of more than $1 million.

Jamie Haffar, 46, a former chief financial officer of the Pasadena Chamber of Commerce, is accused of paying for plastic surgery, personal massages, clothing and trips to Disney World and Budapest, Hungary with chamber money and fraudulent credit cards. a sworn statement of probable cause filed in a Harris County court. She is also accused of forging the signature of House President Christina Womack to increase the House Small Business Administration’s $350,000 loan — money that Haffar allegedly used as “her personal bribe fund,” court records show.

“Evidence shows that Haffar (allegedly) stole hundreds of thousands from her cell, largely to stoke an addiction to online shopping and her desire to live an ornate, luxurious lifestyle,” Pasadena Police Department investigator Frank Keely wrote in a deposition under oath.

Earlier this month, Khaffar was charged with making false statements to obtain a loan between $30,000 and $150,000, fraudulent use and possession of identifying information, misuse of over $300,000 in fiduciary property, and two counts of forgery. financial instrument in excess of USD 300,000. She remained in jail Tuesday on bail totaling $1.25 million, court records show.

Khaffar’s Pasadena attorney, Laurie Laird, did not immediately respond to a message left at her office Tuesday asking for comment.

The Pasadena Chamber of Commerce filed a civil lawsuit in December against Haffar, whom it hired in 2017 as financial administrator and promoted to chief financial officer in 2020, according to court documents. The Chamber named Itria Ventures, LLC as a defendant, alleging that the company colluded with Khaffar to distribute over $87,000 in small business loans that it claims were not properly authorized by the Chamber. The next day, Itria filed a civil lawsuit against the chamber and Huffar, alleging they failed to meet their obligations under the 2022 deal.

Haffar is alleged to have earned more than $780,000 in fraudulent purchase card payments between 2017 and 21, in addition to more than $330,000 in fraudulent credit card payments she allegedly received in the name of Womack and without Womack knows, according to court records. Khaffar is also accused of forging bank statements and financial documents in an attempt to cover up fraudulent purchases, court records show.

The Chamber raised more than $61,000 in November at its annual Taste of the City event, and Khaffar is said to have deposited nearly $47,000 of that money into his personal bank account, court records show. She is also accused of making direct transfers from the camera account to her personal PayPal account totaling $37,500, according to court documents.

Kylie wrote in an affidavit about the probable reason that the criminal investigation is ongoing, adding, “It is likely that more fraud could still be uncovered.”