(The Center Square) – The office of the Utah Attorney General charged Exitus CEO Candace Elexzandria Lierd with 34 felonies on Friday.
Lierd faces these charges related to fraudulent activity at the anti-human trafficking non-profit corporation.
Lierd was arrested Friday morning for a laundry list of unlawful behavior, “including communications fraud, theft by deception, theft of services, identity fraud, forgery, and unlawful conduct,” according to a press release from the Utah Attorney General’s office.
“An Attorney General’s Office investigation uncovered evidence that Candace Lierd repeatedly made false representations to donors who gave money to support the fight against human trafficking,” the release said. “Lierd used at least some of the money for personal expenses, including homes, apartments, cars, and trips. Lierd claimed to be a physician, physician’s assistant, and nurse but was never licensed or registered in Utah.”
Court documents say that in January 2021, Lierd falsely claimed to be a registered nurse at the University of Utah or the Veterans Affairs hospital in Salt Lake City. She did work at the University of Utah hospital in the past as a psychiatric technician but was let go in an “involuntary dismissal.”
The documents also say she defrauded the Navajo Nation, claiming she would work to find missing indigenous women despite never attempting to do it.
Plus, the court documents claim that she coordinated the medical transport of a Ukranian orphan to an adoptive family in Utah. She reportedly offered medical directives to a nurse on how to care for a child after falsely claiming to be a nurse practitioner; Lierd reportedly gave the nurse a medical kit that included controlled substances like Ketamine and Haldol.
Lierd is being held in Utah County Jail without bail as the state continues its investigation.
