A woman who used to work for California-based clothing company Karen Kane is accused of stealing more than $2.5 million from the family-run business over a span of a decade.
While having access to business bank accounts as Karen Kane’s credit and accounting manager, Donna Faye Bui, 45, drained $2,562,941 from the accounts and transferred the money to herself by laundering the funds via smaller transactions, according to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office.
Bui worked for Karen Kane between September 2015 and February 2024, and was in charge of paying the business’ bills, the district attorney’s office said in a Wednesday, September 2 news release.
She is facing 106 felonies in connection with the alleged theft involving hundreds of illegal transactions, according to prosecutors.
The charges include 89 money laundering counts, 10 grand theft counts, five counts of filing false tax returns, one count of failing to file a tax return and one count of unauthorized computer access, the district attorney’s office said.
“Stealing millions of dollars from your employer as a trusted employee for over a decade is a cruel and calculating criminal deception,” Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan J. Hochman said in a statement. “White collar criminals who abuse positions of trust for their own greed are a clear threat to public safety and put anyone or any company with an electronic bank account at risk.
Karen Kane didn’t immediately return a request for comment from Us on Thursday, September 3.
Fashion designer Karen Kane and her husband, Lonnie, first established Karen Kane clothing out of their garage in 1979, per Women’s Wear Daily. The business is now based in Vernon, about five miles south of Los Angeles.
During the 10-year period when Bui allegedly stole from the company, she tried to hide the theft through money laundering activities, the district attorney’s office said. Bui also allegedly failed to report the stolen money to tax authorities.
After a new company president grew “suspicious,” they initiated an audit of business finances in February 2024, resulting in the discovery of Bui’s alleged scheme, according to prosecutors.
Bui has pleaded not guilty to the charges she’s facing during an August 26 arraignment, the district attorney’s office said.
She was released from custody on her own recognizance after her bail was set at $0, according to prosecutors, who objected to her release and asked for her bail to be set at $875,000. The court decided she wasn’t a threat to the public.
Bui is due back in court for a preliminary hearing set for October 19.
Information on her legal representation wasn’t immediately available.
