The CEO of Utah County-based nonprofit Exitus is accused of more than 30 criminal offenses

The CEO of a Utah-based nonprofit dedicated to combating human trafficking was booked into the Utah County Jail on Friday on more than 30 felony charges.

Candace Lierd, 37, formerly known as Candace Rivera, is charged with communications fraud, theft and forgery, among other charges. In total, she was charged with 35 different crimes, 32 of which were felonies.

The arrest comes as part of an investigation by the Utah Attorney General’s Office into the nonprofit Exitus that began in June.

According to arrest documents filed Friday, the investigation was initiated after Lierd was charged with check fraud over a check for more than $8,000 to a vendor for services at an event hosted by the nonprofit in 2022.

For the full story, visit https://www.fox13now.com/news/local-news/exitus-ceo-booked-on-over-30-felony-counts

This article is published by the Utah News Collaborative, a partnership of Utah news organizations dedicated to informing readers across the state.