Charity Fund-Raiser Arrested in Forgery

The former chief fund-raiser for Retinitis Pigmentosa International was arrested Friday on suspicion of forgery after an investigation into the loss of up to $50,000 from the Woodland Hills-based charity’s bank accounts, Los Angeles police reported.

Detective Anthony DiRuscio said Daniel J. Sonners of Malibu walked into the department’s Van Nuys station Friday and surrendered to detectives investigating the disappearance of checks and money belonging to the charity, which funds research into the eye disease.

Police said Sonners--whose age was believed to be 29 but who charity officials said claimed to be 39 when he was hired two months ago--was arrested on one count of forgery and released on $1,000 bail after refusing to talk to detectives about the missing checks and money.

He could not be reached for comment Friday.

DiRuscio said police had recovered 12 RPI checks totaling about $41,000 that had been forged and cashed at San Fernando Valley banks. The investigation was continuing, he said.

“The investigation established he passed at least one of the missing checks,” DiRuscio said. “There are possibly more checks out.”

The money missing from the 15-year-old charity’s bank accounts came almost solely from donations, RPI officials said.

Helen Harris, founder of RPI, said checks totaling $50,553 were apparently forged and the charity’s bank accounts looted while she was on vacation earlier this month.

Police said Sonners’ whereabouts were not known until he turned himself in Friday.

Harris said the loss of the funds has crippled the charity, leaving it with $2,600.