A Sebastopol woman is facing felony charges today following a major embezzlement investigation at the Sonoma County Farm Bureau.
According to the Press Democrat, prosecutors have charged 36-year-old Samantha Piehoff—a former operations manager for the bureau—with grand theft and forgery. Investigators allege Piehoff siphoned off more than $350,000 between 2022 and late 2025, largely through forged checks.
The losses affected both the trade group and its charitable foundation. The discrepancies were first discovered in September by Executive Director Dayna Ghirardelli during a routine check of online banking records.
The case is particularly notable due to Piehoff’s deep family ties to the organization, which dates back to its founding in 1919. The District Attorney’s office is seeking sentencing enhancements, citing the ‘sophistication’ of the crime and a violation of professional trust.
Piehoff is scheduled to enter a plea in January. Meanwhile, Farm Bureau leadership says they are working to strengthen internal security and have pledged to replace the missing foundation funds.
