San Diego, CA

Woman accused of embezzling San Diego County grant money to fund lavish lifestyle

Published

5 months ago

February 19, 2026

Woman accused of embezzling San Diego County grant money to fund lavish lifestyle

The former chief operating officer of a nonprofit that contracted with San Diego County to distribute the anti-overdose medication Narcan has been charged with embezzling funds from the organization.

Amy Knox, ex-COO of Harm Reduction Coalition of San Diego, is accused of taking over $130,000 in public funds to pay for personal expenses such as plastic surgery procedures, trips to Hawaii and Disneyland, and payments for her SDG&E and credit card bills.

According to the San Diego County District Attorney’s Office, the funds she’s accused of taking were part of over $4 million awarded to the nonprofit for its efforts to prevent and reduce fentanyl deaths within San Diego County.

Knox, 45, “controlled the nonprofit’s finances and was designated as the contract administrator for the county contracts,” the D.A.’s Office said.

She faces up to seven years in state prison if convicted of charges that include felony counts of misappropriating public funds and embezzlement.

Knox was arrested last week and after pleading not guilty to the charges on Wednesday, she remains in custody on $200,000 bail, pending a bail review hearing set for next week.

In a news conference announcing the charges, San Diego County District Attorney Summer Stephan said Knox was previously charged in San Diego County with taking over $500,000 from a prior employer. Court records show she pleaded guilty to felony grand theft charges in that case and was sentenced to prison in 2015.

Despite her criminal history, Stephan said Knox was able to attain her position in the organization without a background check.

After concerns were raised by county staff, a background check was ultimately conducted and revealed the conviction, yet around a year later, the nonprofit was awarded another contract from the county in August of 2024, Stephan said.

Stephan said Wednesday that it was “deeply concerning that the checks and balances that are supposed to safeguard the county’s large budget and trust funds failed in this case.”

Harm Reduction Coalition’s CEO, Tara Stamos-Buesig, reported suspicions regarding Knox to the District Attorney’s Office last May, Stephan said. The county canceled its contracts for Narcan distribution and drug testing with the nonprofit the following month.

Stephan said that after the contracts were terminated, there was no referrals to the D.A.’s Office for potential criminal investigation, as had been done in previous instances of suspected fraud or wrongdoing by public officials.

County officials did not respond to a request for comment regarding Stephan’s assertions.

Stephan said an investigation remained ongoing into “aspects in the county as to why and how this happened,” as well as whether anyone else was involved in the fraud.

She also alleged there has “been an effort to remove checks and balances when it comes to contracts” and that employees have recently left the county “with agreements to be silent.”

The D.A.’s Office urged any county employees with information of suspected malfeasance to report concerns to prosecutors and said that anyone making reports would be protected under whistleblower laws.

Stephan said in a statement, “Whistleblowing is an important part of public safety. It is often the first line of defense against corruption and misuse of public funds.”

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San Diego, CA

San Diego’s 6-month streak of a falling jobless rate comes to an end

Published

11 hours ago

July 17, 2026

Press Room

SAN DIEGO — San Diego County saw its six-month streak of a falling unemployment rate come to an end in June, as teachers went on summer recess, but the region still managed to eke out a small net gain in job growth last month. The latest figures from the state Employment Development Department show a jobless rate of 4.4%, up from 3.9% in May, but still lower than the county’s year-ago rate of …

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San Diego, CA

Daily Business Report: July 17, 2026, San Diego Metro Magazine

Published

23 hours ago

July 17, 2026

Press Room

Letter to the Editor: Apartment Vacancy Rates Paint an Incomplete Picture

By David Malcolm | Voice of San Diego

In last Saturday’s “Politics Report,” Will Huntsberry tackled the thorny issue of apartment vacancy rates (apparently the highest in this century) and the impact on affordability. He also correctly wrote that the city of San Diego needs “strategies beyond build, build, build.”

What’s Really Happening

My company owns and operates apartment rental complexes in San Diego County (San Marcos, Encinitas, La Jolla, El Cajon and South Bay) and in Temecula (Riverside County). Here is what we are seeing.

Base rents are stable … but offers of two months’ free rent are common. That is a de facto 16.7 percent reduction on annualized rents. Reducing base rents is not possible in the face of rent control measures and, even more importantly, bank loan covenants. Thus, concessions like two months’ free rent are not hard to find.

New study shows promising step forward in improving Parkinson’s treatment

by Nicole Abrams | Times of San Diego

A small molecule was found to increase the benefits and reduce the side effects of the standard drug for Parkinson’s disease, according to a new study from UC San Diego startup called Sinopia Biosciences.

L-dopa or levodopa is the main treatment for Parkinson’s disease, but its benefits wane over time and can cause involuntary movements called dyskinesia. About 90% of patients with Parkinson’s disease develop dyskinesia in 9 or more years of using L-dopa, and 70% develop motor fluctuations in 9 or more years of using the drug, according to the study.

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San Diego, CA

EXCLUSIVE: Ignition Press Welcomes eBay Live & Revenge Of to San Diego Comic-Con Ignition Pavilion

Published

1 day ago

July 16, 2026

Press Room

The Ignition Press – Ignition Pavilion is leveling up in a big way for San Diego Comic-Con this year.

Following last year’s successful debut, Ignition Press is expanding its offsite with several major new partners, transforming the Ignition Pavilion into a hub for comics, collectibles, livestream shopping, food, and drinks. The free experience at the San Diego Wine & Culinary Center (200 Harbor Dr.) will now feature activations from eBay Live and Revenge Of, alongside the return of Seven Seas Roasting Company and several new fan experiences.

One of the biggest additions this year is a dedicated eBay Live selling lounge, where livestreams will broadcast throughout the convention, bringing Comic-Con to fans around the world.

Stop by throughout the week to find live sketches and signings with comic legends Bill Sienkiewicz (hosted by Big Clutch) and Jim Lee (hosted by ANZ Collects), while Storage Wars star Rene Nezhoda will showcase a rare PSA-pedigreed collection of vintage, Silver Age, and Bronze Age comics.

Fans can also tune in for the debut of an exclusive DC x eBay Live Absolute Batman & Absolute Catwoman connecting cover, shop signed Ignition Press SDCC exclusives, rare comics, and other collectibles, and catch appearances from fan-favorite creators and influencers throughout the weekend.

The Pavilion also welcomes Los Angeles lifestyle brand Revenge Of, making its San Diego Comic-Con debut with a curated comics and pop culture experience, while its sister company, FTB.Design, is handling the Pavilion’s production design.

“Both eBay Live and Revenge Of TV are going to give both fans onsite and at home the opportunity to get in on special programming and chances to get SDCC exclusive merchandise,” said Creative Director Jeremy Haun. “We’re doing something new, big, and different here at the Ignition Pavilion. You’re not going to want to miss it.”

Coffee lovers can once again grab a free drink from Seven Seas Roasting Company between 12pm-4pm, Thursday through Sunday, by signing up for the Ignition Insiders newsletter. The first 200 fans each day can redeem a voucher for coffee, espresso drinks, chai, or tea.

Later each afternoon (Thursday-Saturday, 5pm-7pm), the coffee bar transforms into the Ignition Pavilion Happy Hour, serving themed cocktails, beer, wine, mocktails, and complimentary drink tickets with qualifying purchases. Fans can also preorder a limited-edition bottle of Ignition Proof Rum, created in partnership with Los Angeles distillery The Obscure.

The Ignition Pavilion is free and open to the public at the following times: