A former Sonoma County Farm Bureau operations manager is at the center of a major theft case, with prosecutors alleging she siphoned roughly $375,000 from the nonprofit over several years through forged checks and other financial maneuvers. A plea hearing in Sonoma County Superior Court is set for Jan. 15, 2026.
According to The Press Democrat, the Sonoma County District Attorney’s Office has filed felony counts that include grand theft, forgery and obtaining money under false pretenses. Court filings cited by the outlet allege the scheme totaled about $375,000, with forged checks accounting for nearly $300,000 and losses stretching from May 2022 through September 2025.
Farm Bureau Executive Director Dayna Ghirardelli told The Press Democrat that staff first flagged a suspicious vendor check while reviewing online banking in September. The organization then fired the employee and launched a deeper financial review. The district attorney’s filing also asks the court to weigh an aggravating factor alleging “planning, sophistication, or professionalism” in how the offenses were carried out, according to the report.
Arrest and Alleged Paper Trail
The former manager, identified as 36-year-old Samantha Piehoff of Sebastopol, was arrested Oct. 16 and booked into the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office jail on suspicion of the alleged crimes. KSRO reported that Piehoff had worked for the Farm Bureau since 2018 and that investigators followed a trail of questionable transactions before turning the case over to prosecutors.
Farm Bureau Fallout and Community Ripples
The Sonoma County Farm Bureau has said staff were shocked by the accusations and that the organization will make the Farm Bureau Foundation whole for any losses that cannot be recovered, according to public statements and media coverage. The Sonoma County Farm Bureau highlights programs that support local farms and youth agriculture education, and NorthBay Biz notes the group traces its origins to 1917 and remains a key voice for the region’s agricultural community.
Charges and Legal Playbook
Prosecutors have accused Piehoff of grand theft and forgery under California law. Grand theft is defined in Penal Code section 487, which includes theft by an employee from an employer when losses exceed certain statutory thresholds, as described by the California Legislature. Forgery, laid out in Penal Code section 470 and detailed by the California Legislature, covers falsifying or passing checks and similar financial instruments…