Ex-CEO Christopher Butler Faces 15 Felony Counts Tied to Alleged Embezzlement
Prosecutors have accused the former head of a nonprofit camp of siphoning millions of dollars from the organization that serves children with chronic and life-threatening illnesses. The camp is located in Lake Hughes, but the non-profit’s office is located in Santa Monica.
Christopher L. Butler, the former chief executive officer of The Painted Turtle, is charged with embezzling about $5.2 million during his tenure from 2018 through 2025, according to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office. Butler, 49, of Porter Ranch, faces 15 felony counts: nine counts of grand theft, five counts of forgery, and one count of fraudulent use of a computer.
The criminal complaint, filed December 29, 2025, alleges Butler used his position to misappropriate nonprofit funds over several years. He is being held on $835,000 bail. Butler is scheduled to be arraigned Jan. 15 in Department 30 of the Foltz Criminal Justice Center in downtown Los Angeles.
If convicted on all counts, prosecutors said Butler could be sentenced to more than 18 years in state prison.
The case is being handled by Deputy District Attorney Steve Dickman of the District Attorney’s White Collar Crime Division and remains under investigation by the District Attorney’s Bureau of Investigation.
The Painted Turtle operates a specialty camp that provides free programming for children with serious medical conditions and their families. It was co-founded by Paul Newman and Page and Lou Adler, among others, in 1999.
