A former California mayor has pleaded guilty to federal wire fraud charges after admitting to stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars from a church. Tamara Wallace resigned as mayor of South Lake Tahoe last October after acknowledging she had taken money from the church, where she worked part-time as a bookkeeper. Federal prosecutors say the thefts occurred between 2019 and 2025 and totaled approximately 390-thousand dollars. Investigators say Wallace used the stolen money to pay for personal expenses, including rent and travel. The 56-year-old now faces up to 20 years in federal prison when she is sentenced in January. Her guilty plea resolves the criminal case involving the stolen church funds, though the final sentence will be determined by a judge. Wallace’s resignation came after the theft allegations became public, ending her tenure as the city’s mayor.
