Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Price Announces Felony Fraud Conviction of Former Fremont City Manager
March 7, 2024
Oakland, CA— Today, Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Price announced the conviction of former Fremont City Manager Mark Danaj, who pled guilty to felony fraud against the City of Fremont. The investigation and prosecution arose after it was discovered that Danaj had misused his Fremont City-issued credit card for personal expenses. The plea agreement requires Danaj to serve 90 days at Santa Rita Jail, serve two years on formal probation and pay $316,978 in restitution to the City of Fremont.
In 2021, Danaj was fired from his job as City Manager, and while negotiating his severance package, he failed to disclose that he owed the City money on its CalCard. It was only after receiving the $316,617 severance package that Danaj informed officials that he owed $6,873 on the credit card. The omission of that information during negotiations is considered theft by false pretense, as it was Danaj’s duty as City Manager to disclose the debt.
“This resolution brings accountability and closure to the citizens of the City of Fremont, which has long been overdue,” said District Attorney Pamela Price. When a public official abuses the public’s trust and position of authority and uses it to steal taxpayer resources for his own personal gain, it erodes the framework upon which our government is based.”
In the plea agreement, Danaj stipulated that he owes the City of Fremont $316,977.74 in restitution, comprised of $360.74 of CalCard charges for Danaj’s personal expenses and the $316,617 severance.
“When my administration took over in January 2023, we found that this case was under-charged. My predecessor had filed felony charges against Mr. Danaj for his misuse and embezzlement of public funds. However, it was still unclear why the City of Fremont had paid Mr. Danaj a severance valued over $300,000 at the time of his termination in September 2021. Further investigation and analysis by my Public Accountability Unit revealed that the City had only agreed to pay Mr. Danaj the severance because the city did not know that Mr. Danaj had committed fraud. Additionally, Ms. O’Malley’s brother was representing the defendant which presented an obvious conflict of interest. If my administration had not taken over this case, Mr. Danaj would not have been convicted of defrauding the City of Fremont, and the public’s valid questions about Mr. Danaj’s severance would never be answered.”
Contact: damedia@acgov.org
The Alameda County District Attorney’s Office (DAO) is one of California’s largest prosecutors’ offices and is led by Alameda County’s first Black woman District Attorney Pamela Y. Price. Price brings her vision to this office to fairly administer justice in the pursuit of thriving, healthy, and safe communities for every person who steps foot in Alameda County, no matter their race, gender, religion, sexual orientation, income, or zip code. Price has been recognized as one of the most progressive prosecutors through her forward-thinking, innovative strategies to interrupt cycles of violence and crime and bring change to a criminal justice system rooted in systemic racism. Follow Madam DA on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook, and @AlamedaCountyda on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.